The Apostasy
by moonlitXkunoichi
Summary: It isn't easy to own one of the largest companies in Japan and live a normal teenage life. Luckily, Sakura has the Hawk and one Uchiha Itachi protecting her, but can they save her from the events and the people from her past? itasakusasu
1. Chapter 1

**This is just the (very short) first chapter of my new fanfic, and it's mainly and introduction to the story and nothing more. I hope you enjoy it :)**

**Chapter 1- EDITED**

_**Blood. There's so much blood…**__I look down at my school uniform skirt. Blood spatters on my skirt, on my white blouse. My yellow hat with the black ribbon rests in a pool of it._

_"Mother?" A frightened girls voice echoes in the large hallway. "Father?" Little pudgy hands shake the bodies. "Please wake up." The little girls voice quivers as it holds back tears. A small voice. My voice._

_A vase shatters on the ground, the sound splitting my ears. I look up quickly. A teenage boy stands there, half in shadow. Something drips from his mouth and patters onto the ground. It's scarlet. I whimper as the boy takes a step towards me. I can't say anything; I just sit there on my knees, whining, holding onto my mothers' hand. A hand reaches towards me, but stops when the door to the mansion is burst opened, my nanny, the police and a various other management bursts through the door. I look back up at the boy, but he's gone._

_"Sakura!" My nanny screams, scooping me up in her arms and holding me tight, petting my fuchsia hair. My head droops onto her shoulder, my whole body going limp. Everyone is rushing around, trying to cover the body, calling for back up, calling for an ambulance. No one notices him in the doorway. Red eyes, wiping the blood off his chin. Dark hair pulled back, dark clothes, pale skin. The boy who killed my parents. He stares right into my eyes and everything turns black._

"No!" I scream, and shoot straight up. My fellow students look at me, the teacher glaring maliciously. Some start laughing and I blush bright red.

"No? Do you find a flaw in the way I teach physics, Sakura-chan?" Iruka said, crossing his arms. I take a stray piece of hair and tuck it behind my ear. After a disaster of a hair cut last Saturday, it was short and I barely had any bangs left. I'm sure I looked lovely with my hair askew and my face red from resting it on the desk.

"No, Iruka-sensei. I think you teach physics perfectly fine." I mumbled and he rolled his eyes and went back to the board.

"What was that, Sakura?" Naruto turned around in his seat to look at me. I looked at my best friend and smiled, shaking my head.

"Nothing. Just a dream that I went to the mall and Temari had bought the last pair of Jimmy Choos." I told him, not wanting him to worry about me. After 12 years of nothing but pity and sad looks from people, it got tiring. 'Oh there's that girl whose parents were murdered.' 'She lives in that big mansion all by herself.' Blah blah blah.

"Jimmy who?" Naruto asked. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Never mind. I wouldn't expect you to know." I said and Naruto shrugged. I began to pay attention to Iruka again, though I already knew everything he was teaching us about physics, thanks to my godmother Tsunade. Not only was Tsunade a great tutor in education she was funny and had the best advice about everything, from boys to clothes. To me, Tsunade was my mother and ultimately my best friend. Without Tsunade, I didn't know what I would have done after my parents died. Tsunade, who at the time of my parents death was running from gambling debts, decided to be my guardian after the managers of the Haruno estate promised to pay off her debts. She had lived with me ever since.

Tsunade was great friends with Jiraiya, Naruto's godfather, which was how Naruto and I had become friends, and stayed friends ever since. We had had sleepovers ever since we were little (which recently stopped because Tsunade was afraid of Narutos raging teenage hormones and general horniness) and pretty soon we began to hang out on our own without Tsunade and Jiraiya.

I began to doodle a cherry blossom on the top of my paper when I felt a pair of eyes on me. I discreetly looked up with just my eyes, keeping my head unmoving. Searching the room, they eventually made contact with Sasuke Uchiha. I stared at him until he looked away. My heart stopped, and I dropped my pencil. I swore I saw his eyes flashing a brilliant red before he looked away.

Sasuke Uchiha was not someone that anyone in the room wanted to mess with. He and his gang (christened the "Hawks") had the whole school under their control, with Sasukes' dad pouring money into the school. Sasuke, Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu were the members of the gang, riding expensive motorcycles that were most likely paid for by Sasukes father. Most of the time the four skipped school to work on their motorcycles or do God knows what.

Sasuke tended to be on the arrogant side, and why shouldn't he be? He had looks and a bad boy edge to him which pretty much guaranteed him to win the hearts of all the girls in the school. I admit that he was gorgeous. He had ebony hair that hung lightly in front of his face and which he cut at a sexy angle in the back. His onyx eyes were beautiful, his olive complexion flawless. All the time in the garage did his body well too, his muscles built up to not body builder big but to just the right-size-sexy big.

And he had just stared at me. If it was a good or bad sign, I wasn't sure.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto's voice called out from behind me. I turned around and smiled at him. "You want to walk over to my house and hang out for a while?" He asked as we began walking towards the gate of the school.

"No thanks Naruto, I need to talk to Tsunade about stuff when I get home." I replied, frowning at the disappointed look on his face. I sighed. "I'll call your cell later, okay?" His face lit up and he grinned.

"Awesome. Catch you later." He called and ran off down the street with Kiba. I watched them go and turned around to walk home. I decided to take the more scenic route home; although it was longer I enjoyed looking at all the flowers, plants and trees. The air seemed cleaner this way as well. I didn't like being alone though, because pretty soon my thoughts began to catch up with me and I started to think about Sasuke and his eyes in the middle of class.

The quiet of my surroundings was interrupted by the loud purring of…what was that? My stomach dropped. It sounded like motorcycles. And the sound kept getting louder and louder. I turned around and my stomach might as well have fallen out my ass and been dragging on the concrete behind me. Sasuke and the rest of the Hawk were riding their motorcycles towards me. I quickly turned back around and began walking faster towards my house.

_Don't look at them. They think they're the shit with their motorcycles…don't look at them it's what they want. But god Sasuke looks good on that piece of machinery…god, shut up estrogen, just keep walking home. Sasuke looks like a freaking cockatoo with his hair he's not hot, keep walking._

The growling of the motorcycle was right beside me, and it ended as the engine was killed. I stopped walking and looked to my left. Sasuke was standing their, taking his helmet off. Sweat dripped down his face, highlighting everything good about his face. Damn him. Sasuke opened his eyes and looked straight into my eyes.

"Sakura." Was the one word he muttered, and the other three members of the Hawk took their helmets off and stood there staring at me as well, smirks on all of their faces. I nodded in his direction, acknowledging that was indeed my name. Was it? I would have said more but right now I couldn't even move.

Sasuke got up off his bike and moved nearer to me. He smelled slightly of something musky, probably some oil or something from the garage. He also smelled lightly coconutish, like sunscreen mixed with the husky scent of boy. It was addictive.

"Hey, Sakura. We're your new entourage." Sasuke said, smirking. I was sure those few words had put an extremely stupid looking expression on my face.

"E-entourage?"

**Wow another ItaSaku fanficcc :) I hope you guys like this one, it's in a different setting and in a different style that I'm not used to doing. This plot is so new to me, I'm not even really sure of what I'm doing or where I'm going with it haha. Some of it isn't very realistic like Sasukes parents still being alive and Sakura being filthy rich, but it's a fanfic and I've decided I'm not giving a crap about it anymore lol. So read, reviews aren't necessary but encouraged because they really do encourage me to keep writing, knowing that people out there are actually reading the crap I post haha.** **So anyway, much love to my readers and even more to my reviewers and I hope you enjoyed this little taste of my new fanfic, The Apostasy.**

**moonlitXkunoichi**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"E-entourage?" I stuttered. What was he talking about? Maybe they were smoking something in their garages too. "What are you speaking about?"

_What are you speaking about? What are YOU talking about Sakura, you sound like a blubbering idiot!_ I thought, immediately wincing at my inability to speak correctly.

"What I'm 'speaking' about, Sakura, is the arrangement that Lady Tsunade and my father came up with," he waited for it to suddenly dawn on me. I still didn't comprehend. "Obviously they haven't told you yet." Sasuke sighed. I kept looking at him as if he'd grown another head.

"Tsunade is afraid for your life." Sasuke looked me up and down. I felt violated under his intense stare. "You obviously can't defend yourself if anything happened, seeing as how weak you are." I scowled at him.

"I still don't understand." I said, shaking my head. "You've been inhaling too many fumes." I added, and turned around to walk off. The sound of four engines starting echoed in the street and I turned around to see the foursome following me on their bikes. I began to walk faster, and Sasuke rode at my pace right next to me on the sidewalk. "Why are you following me?" I asked, quickening my pace. He easily kept up with me.

"I already told you." Sasuke replied irately, keeping his eyes ahead in the road.

"No you didn't, I still don't get it at all." I said, stopping abruptly.

"God you're stupid." He shook his head. The two boys and sole girl behind him looked irritated as well. I felt a blush creeping up on my face. It wasn't my fault he wasn't explaining himself clearly. I clenched my fist and started walking again. Up ahead, there was a tiny side street I could take that would make it longer for me to get home, but it'd be so much better to walk in the direction without Sasuke and his keen ability of making me feel like a complete moron.

My heart started beating faster as we got closer to the side street. As we neared it, I started sprinting, turning around the corner and running as fast as I could.

"What the hell?" Sasuke yelled, and he hit the clutch, speeding up the street to try to head me off. I sprinted through the other side of the side street and began running up the street toward my house. Tires screeched behind me.

_Crap! How'd they catch up so fast?_ I panicked, and looked behind me. It wasn't bikes, however. It was a GMC Denali, and it was coming up quick. _They have cars too?_ As the car got nearer, I noticed that there weren't any of the Hawk in the car. They were men…with masks on. My heart was about to beat out of my chest. I looked to my right and saw Sasuke riding up, a look of horror on his face. The Denali screeched to a stop and a man in the passenger side seat grabbed me. I began screaming and kicking, and as soon as he grabbed me and threw me in the back of the car, they began to speed off.

"What are you doing with me?" I screamed, and the man in the passenger side seat reached behind him and slapped me in the face. I gasped and clutched my face, my eyes tearing. I began to shake too, shudders going up and down my spine.

A cell phone went of somewhere in the front, and the driver answered. "Springfield has been acquired," was his simple response.

_Acquired? What is going on?_ I thought, wrapping my arms around my torso. I bit my lip to keep from speaking; I didn't want to get slapped in the face again. I started looking around the Denali. There were no existing handles on the inside of the car. _This car has been manufactured to keep people from getting out. _I thought, my stomach sinking.

Something big crashed up against the right side of the car and I screamed as I was sent flying into the left door. I righted myself and looked out the window. Sasuke was on his bike, and he had slammed up against the door. He was obviously trying to open the non existent handle, and when he couldn't find one he slowed down a bit. I looked to my left, and saw Jugo on his bike outside. Further inspection revealed that Karin was in front of us in a yellow Camaro. Behind us, Suigetsu was following in a bright blue Corvette.

I began to feel slightly hopeful and relieved when the passenger pulled out an AK-46. _Oh god! Oh God!_ I panicked. Images of the Hawks blood on the pavement made me feel sick. The passenger rolled down the window and began loading the gun. In a split-second decision, I took a deep breath and lunged at the passenger, grabbing his arms and knocking the gun to the ground. While struggling in the front, I kept hitting the driver who swerved on the road. The passenger began to hit me and push me, attempting to get me off. I kept holding on. He started hitting my face, and stars started to appear in my eyes. As a last resort, I bit his hand as hard as I could. He cried out and tried to push me off him but I refused to let go, and even began to hit him back.

"Sakura!" I heard a voice call out to me. I opened my eyes and saw Sasuke on his bike, the Corvette on the other side of him. He held out his hand, and I scrambled out the window. The passenger grabbed me by my waist and yanked me. I screamed, and Sasuke grabbed my arm. I pulled him closer and he hit the side of the car, grunting slightly but he regained balance. By this time, the Denali was driving on the wrong side of the road, and a car was coming.

"Shit…" Sasuke muttered, and pushed away from the car.

"Sasuke!" I screamed, my hands scrambling to find his, simultaneously avoiding being pulled completely back into the Denali. The car went by, and Sasuke was again next to the car, and he grabbed my hand.

"Sakura, jump! I have you!" He yelled. I scrambled out, making sure to knee the passenger in the groin. He let go of me with a cry of agony and I jumped onto the motorcycle, my feet on the back of the seat, and then fell into the back seat of the Corvette. The sports car began to decelerate quickly, then spun out and began heading in the other direction.

My heart was still racing, and my breathing was irregular. "Oh my god, oh my god…" I kept repeating.

"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" Suigetsu asked me. I didn't answer. My head was killing me and I could feel bruises forming all over my body.

"Do I look freaking okay?" I finally screamed out. He didn't answer, and just kept driving. The drive home seemed to be seconds long even though I knew it was longer. We stopped outside the gates to my home, and I jumped out of the Corvette. I began quickly running up, and a warm, rough hand grabbed my wrist.

"Sakura, what the hell?" Sasuke said, forcefully spinning me around to look at him. "What were you thinking, if you hadn't run off in the first place that would never have happened." I ripped my wrist out of his hand, scowling at him.

"Well I am so sorry that I knew how to react to a situation like…like that. I don't even know…what the hell was that…Oww.." I groaned, rubbing my arms slightly. I hurt all over. I felt blood drying on my face. _I'm sure I look lovely._

"SAKURA!" yelled a loud, rambunctious voice from behind me. I turned around and was enveloped by Tsunade as she squished my face into her breasts with a hug. "Oh god, my baby! Are you okay?" She pulled away from me and gasped as she took my appearance in. "What have they done!"

The sight of Tsunade brought tears to my eyes and I quickly began to wipe them away. I didn't want Sasuke and the rest of the Hawk to see them. "What the hell, Uchiha Sasuke!" Tsunade called, leading me inside. "All of you come in! Protection my ass…" She led me inside and took me to the guest restroom, pulling out rubbing alcohol and bandages. She cleaned my cuts and bandaged them up. I looked in the mirror at myself as she was working on me and had to look away- I looked horrible! She finished and I tried to fix my hair, but my make up was already running down my face so I wiped away running mascara and left it alone.

When I came outside the Hawk were in my living room. "Sakura, sit, baby." Tsunade told me and I sat at the seat farthest away from the group of boys, who were all cramped up on my couch.

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" I demanded, looking around at all of them. Tsunade didn't answer, but pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

"Uchiha…get down here now. I don't care. Get down here." Tsunade said sternly and shut her phone. Sasuke sighed in frustration.

"What'd you call my father for, Tsunade baa-chan?" Sasuke complained.

"What do you think I called him for, baka?" Tsunade replied, putting her hands on her hips. "Your brother will be joining us too." At those few words, not only did Sasuke look frustrated, but the other Hawk members began to look pissed.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" I tried again, exasperated. Tsunade sighed and sat down on the chair across from me.

"Yes, Sakura-chan. As you know, thanks to recent investments and stocks, Haruno Co. has been doing very well recently. As a result Haruno Co. has become even more influential and wealthy," Tsunade began.

"It's got nothing on Uchiha International." Sasuke mumbled under his breath. Tsunade shot him a look of apparent disapproval, and Sasuke just glared back.

"Like I was saying, this puts your life at risk. The Harunos have a rival company, the Hyuugas. If anything were to happen to you they would be able to buy up the company. We got an anonymous tip that you were the target of an attack. Therefore, I talked with Sasuke's father and he agreed to allow Sasuke and his…friends…to protect you, and make sure you are kept safe." Tsunade finished.

I sat there and stared at my hands. I then looked up and stared at them. "Someone wants to kill me?" I hated how meek my voice sounded. I felt cold and I shuddered a bit. I hadn't feared being killed in a long time. The last time I felt like there was a possibility that I could die was that day so many years ago. When I looked into the scarlet red eyes and saw the pure blood lust.

"Yes." Tsunade said carefully. "But it won't happen. I won't let it." She assured, nodding.

"Yeah nothing will happen with us around, either." Sasuke said.

"No!" Tsunade said. "After today that shows me that you aren't capable of protecting her! Look at her!" Tsunade said angrily. The doorbell rang and the house help answered. A man dressed in a traditional yukata, his black hair drawn back in a pony tail entered the sitting room. He had stern eyes and a straight posture. The first person he looked at was Sasuke. Their eyes connected and the man quickly looked away, and looked towards me. I was taken aback a little, as he began to walk toward me.

His appearance was very intimidating, and the closer he got the more so he became. Suddenly, he bowed down, lowering his eyes as well. My mouth dropped open. One of the most powerful men in perhaps the world was bowing to me. Sasuke and the rest of the Hawk looked shocked as well.

"Gomenasi, Sakura-chan." He said, keeping his eyes down. He stood up and a blush crept up on my face. "I apologize that my idiot son put you in such a dangerous situation." He continued, sending an angry flash at his son, who looked away.

I simply nodded, at a loss for words. "You obviously deserve better protection than what my son and his moronic friends can provide."

"Father- please, I had it under control! I-" Sasuke said, standing up.

"Hold your tongue!" His father spat, scowling at his son. I looked at Sasuke who looked down, his fist clenching. He looked rather pathetic. I would say pitiful except he didn't look pitiful. Pitiful would imply he looked kind of sad or cute in his pitifulness. He looked defiant and angry. But I couldn't help but feel sympathetic for him. His father was obviously a hard man and difficult to please. I also selfishly didn't want Sasuke to be mad at me.

"Please, Uchiha-sama." I spoke up. "It was my fault. I ran off after they told me to keep with them. If I hadn't tried to lose them, those men wouldn't have gotten to me." Sasuke looked at me, a slight surprised expression on his face.

"Sakura!" Tsunade said, staring at me.

"No, Sakura-chan, don't try to cover for my son." He said, shaking his head.

"No, really, Uchiha-sama. If you would allow them a second chance, please. It was stupid of me. I assume all responsibility for this occurrence." I bowed toward Sasuke's father. "Please."

I kept my head down, an awkward silence pressing in from all sides of the room. Sasuke's father exhaled a frustrated sigh. "Usually I am not so lenient, but since you insist, Sakura-chan I will allow this debacle to go excused. Now that you have told me the full story as well, I advise you to be more careful in the future. This situation is not one to be taken lightly." I rose up as he turned to Tsunade. "Also, Tsunade, I wanted to speak to you about night protection. As you know, Sasuke can take care of Sakura during school and when she is out during the day, but my son has school and I want him to do as well as he can. Therefore, my older son will be watching during the night."

As he said this, the living room door slid open. I tensed as a tall, lean figure walked in. He looked at me, and my breath caught in my throat. His hair was pulled back. He had black jeans and a black shirt on under a dark leather jacket. All this was ignored as I looked into his eyes. I had sworn for a second that his eyes had flashed red. His hair pulled back…red eyes, my parents blood spattered on the floor, scarlet dripping from his mouth.

"Sakura, this is eldest son Itachi. He will be taking care of you as well."

**How long has it been? I know please don't kill me. I've been really busy, I swear, but I haven't forgotten about you guys. I'm off to update Damaged, so be sure to read that as well. Thanks (:**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three-EDITED

"Sakura," Itachi said, bowing slightly in my direction. I blinked a couple of times before bowing myself. His voice was a deep, rich, velvety one and I noticed that his eyes were a deep, dark color; almost so dark they were onyx-black. My pulse slowed a bit, and I gasped for air a bit, not realizing I had stopped breathing. He had a fair complexion, and his body was very similar to Sasuke's. Itachi looked over at Sasuke, and I noticed tenseness between them as they stared at each other. Sasuke looked put off whereas Itachi, who seemed to have better control over his emotions, sported a nonchalant expression.

The more I stared at Itachi, the warmer my face became. Itachi's exotic looks could have scored him a job with any major modeling agency, easily. The nervous feeling in my stomach gave way to a warm fluttering. Itachi looked over at me, and I jumped as I realized I was staring. I averted my eyes.

"Okay, everyone, Sakura has had a difficult day today and she needs her rest. If you could all leave, that would be fantastic." Tsunade exclaimed, opening the door of the sitting room determinedly. The men stayed still for a second, and then they all stood at once and began filing out of the room. I watched them go. Sasuke was the last one to leave, and he turned around to look at me.

"Thank you." He muttered reluctantly. It wasn't sarcastic, and the earnest kindness of his words struck me; I was taken aback.

"Y-you're welcome." I stammered. He smirked and walked out of the room.

After taking a hot shower and reapplying medicine on the few scratches I had, I climbed into my clean sheets. I stared up at my ceiling, making faces and images out of the bumps. One looked like a boy with a cockatoo haircut. I looked away and found myself staring at a line of bumps that looked like the silhouette of a motorcycle. I looked away again and saw a tall figure. I sighed, exasperated and rolled over so I was staring out my window.

It was a full moon tonight, and it cast an ethereal light around my room and outside. I began to drift off to sleep thinking of marshmallows and cotton candy clouds when my tree outside began to move. Immediately I shot up alert, adrenaline coursing through my veins. It didn't appear to be moving, but one tree limb outside was swaying irregularly.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to see what it was or run out of my room. I slowly pushed the sheets off with my feet and crawled out. I crept up to my window, staring outside. My eyes widened: the tree branch wasn't swaying anymore. I opened up my window and looked two stories down at the ground. I looked back up and would have let out an ear-piercing screech if a hand hadn't grabbed my mouth and pushed me inside my room.

I fell to the ground and a heaviness crushed against my body. I began thrashing about, but whoever it was pinned my arms to my sides. I was grunting and making all sorts of noises, and the other person didn't make a sound. I eventually began to slow down, getting tired.

"Are you finished?" I heard that velvety voice say and I immediately calmed down. I nodded and Itachi got off of me, taking my hand and gracefully pulling me up. A scarlet blush crept on my face. Itachi had just been on me, his body pressed up close to mine. Itachi was in my room.

"What are you doing?" I whispered harshly.

"It's not a smart idea to be sticking your head out of windows like that, Sakura." Itachi warned. "You never know who is outside your window aiming a gun at your head." As he said this, he made a gun out of his hand and placed his fingertips to my forehead. He whispered, "Bang!" and I jumped. The corners of his lips twitched into a tiny smile.

"That still doesn't answer my question." I replied, crossing my arms. The window was open, the wind blowing my nightdress tight against my body and I was becoming cold. Goosebumps spread out on my arms and I shivered.

"Sasuke can't watch you 24/7. That's what I'm here for." He said. "You have school in the morning. You should get to bed."

"You're not my father." I told him, looking at him defiantly. I began walking toward my bed. "I'm 17 years old. I can take care of myself." At that precise moment, I stumbled over the trunk at the end of my bed and I was sent toppling to the floor. I looked at Itachi, who was smirking at me, shaking his head. He walked over and lifted me off the floor from my armpits like I was three years old. He flicked my head with his pointer finger and turned around.

"You're right. I guess you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself." He said, sarcasm lacing his words. He jumped out of the window into the tree. I stomped over to the window and slammed it shut, locking it tightly. Itachi's eyes looked over at me and I stuck my tongue out, closing my curtains. _What a horrible guy._

I nodded my head in tune with the beat of the song blasting in the car.

_Day 'n' Night_

_I toss and turn I keep stress in my mind-mind._

_I live for peace but see I don't attain_

_What I need for keeps to silly game we play_

Sasuke sighed loudly. "What is this crap?" He said, reaching to change the station.

"Hey!" I cried as he began tuning the station to something else. "I was listening to that!"

"Yeah so was I and it's distracting me. Do you wanna get in a wreck?" He yelled. I crossed my arms and looked away from him. He was already pissed off because he couldn't ride his bike. Tsunade had refused with a lot of fuss. Sasuke was finally forced to agree on the condition that he could keep the top down of the Corvette we were currently in. The wind was doing wonders for my hair.

Hard rock starting blasting through the car. "We turned off Kid Cudi for _this_?" I asked him, my voice dripping with disgust. A vibrating filled the car and the music was so loud Sasuke couldn't even hear me. He just stared at the road ahead.

_Keep holding on_

_When my brain's ticking like a bomb_

The rest was lost as I flipped the station back to Kid Cudi. Sasuke looked over, glaring at me. I smirked at him and he hit recall on the radio board. I clicked recall again, and pretty soon we were fighting to see who could hit the recall button first. I looked up just in time to see a city bus pull out in front of us.

"Sasuke!" I called, and he grabbed the emergency brake. We stopped so fast I thought I would get whiplash. The bus driver shook his head at us and continued driving. Sasuke scoffed, and then pulled into the parking lot.

"Way to go, Sakura you almost got us in an accident." Sasuke exclaimed, pulling into a parking spot. People were beginning to stare.

"Not even close! If we had just stayed on my station and you weren't such a butthead we wouldn't have gotten into an accident!" I screamed back. People were definitely staring now. Butthead? Were we back in the first grade?

"Just get out of the car!" Sasuke screamed back with the same volume. I sighed exasperatedly and got out of the car, slamming the door and walking away. I was halfway to first period when I stopped suddenly. _Ugh, Sakura, you forgot your book bag!_ I reluctantly turned around and jumped. Sasuke was standing there, book bag in hand and clearly annoyed.

"Don't junk up the Corvette with your crap." He said, dropping the bag in my hands. He walked by me and I stuck my tongue out at him. _Wait…he's walking in the direction of my first period…I don't have first period with Sasuke!_

"Where are you going? Your first period is on the other side of the school!" I asked after catching up with him. Sasuke ignored me and kept walking. "Hey!" I said, having to practically gallop to keep up with his long strides.

"I was switched into all of your classes, moron." He replied with an irritated snap. I stopped in the middle of the hallway. _No…no no no no no!_

I sat my tray on the table. Naruto looked at me, and then looked away. "What?" I snapped at him. I couldn't take crap from Naruto too…

"You never texted me last night." Was all he said.

"Yeah well I was kind of busy last night, sorry."

"With wh-" Naruto stopped as Sasuke set his tray on the table next to me. "What's this?" Naruto asked. Kiba, Shikamaru and Temari looked up. Sasuke didn't even say anything, just took a bite of his apple with a bored expression on his face.

"You can watch me somewhere else, can't you?" I said with an annoyed tone. Sasuke smirked.

"Am I annoying you?" He asked, clearly amused. I rolled my eyes. The rest of the Hawk sat at the table and the four of my friends did not look happy.

"Why are you guys sitting here?" Kiba growled, cocking one eyebrow.

"Hey, this is going to be the seating arrangement for a while so I suggest you just get used to it." Karin said with narrowed eyes.

"Hey, bastard, why don't you get you and the rest of your stupid gang and park it somewhere else." Naruto told Sasuke, looking straight into his eyes. Sasuke leaned in closer so his face and Naruto's face were inches apart.

"Why don't you shut up, faggot." Sasuke answered. The air got tense. There was obviously some past resentment passing between the two of them. Naruto stood up quickly as did Sasuke. As soon as they stood up, the Hawk, Kiba and Shikamaru stood up as well.

"Guys!" I stood up and looked at both of them. "Calm down!"

"Stay out of it!" Sasuke and Naruto yelled at me at the same time. My eye twitched in irritation. This was going to be a long lunch.

"What do we have next again?" Sasuke asked. He had only asked me that after every single class.

"P.E." I said with a shudder. I _hated_ P.E. My relationship to athletics was similar to that of oil and water. Last time I had played softball I ended up with a black eye and a sore stomach. How I finagled that, I'm not sure.

When we reached the P.E. doors Sasuke opened them for me. I continued to walk right when the door suddenly closed, causing me to hit my forehead on the door. _Of course he wouldn't open the door for me._

I changed into my P.E. uniform, walking over to talk with Temari and Ten Ten.

"We're just running again, right?" I asked, hope spiking my voice. We had been running for the past couple of weeks, which worked just fine with me if one considered how accident-prone I seemed to be in this class.

"I heard we were starting basketball today." TenTen said, pumped. Ten Ten was the epitome of the perfect athlete. She trained for hours a day and had the body to prove it. I usually ended up being on Ten Ten's team so she did all the work on the team for us. I groaned.

"Basketball?" I whined.

"Yes, Miss Haruno! Isn't it exciting?" I looked over to glare at Coach Gai. "You can improve your young bodies and strengthen your youthful muscles!" Sometimes he got too creepy for comfort. "Now if you guys could proceed with splitting into teams!" Temari and I immediately grabbed Ten Ten's arm. Suddenly a soft, cold hand grabbed my other arm. I looked over. A red head, who looked sleep deprived, had gotten a hold of my arm.

"Hey, Gaara." I said quietly. I had hung out with him before at Temari's house, and he intimidated me a bit. He was rather distant, but I used to have a crush on him in my younger years. He didn't say anything, but let his hand slide off my arm. Pretty soon Lee joined our group and Kiba came over as well.

My eyes met with Sasuke as he quietly came over and stood with our group. I looked away slightly miffed. My head was still throbbing from his oh-so-gentlemanly move earlier.

"Too many people in this group~" Coach Gai practically sung as he passed us. "Miss Haruno-san and Uchiha-sama if you could please go join that group over there." He pointed over at the rest of the Hawk and another dark-looking girl with heavy make up. I shook my head.

"Coach!" I cried. Sasuke simply pushed me from behind toward the group. I shouldered my body away from him and looked back at the group. Temari frowned and Gaara shrugged. I slumped my shoulders and began walking toward my new group. This was going to be anything but fun.

"I hope you know how to play basketball, Sakura-chan because you're probably going to be doing most of the work." Jugo said with a smirk. I looked at him pleadingly.

"B-but I _don't_…" I was interrupted by a whistle. I looked around. People were running around, grabbing at balls, dribbling them on the ground. I didn't know what to do, so I stepped slightly into the crowd of people. I soon became disoriented, my breathing becoming heavier with the stress of not knowing what the hell was going on.

"Hey Sakura, catch!" Sasuke yelled and threw the basketball. I stood there, staring at him, ball in hand. "What are you doing?" He yelled at me. I panicked and threw the ball back at him. Instead, Gaara caught it and began dribbling toward the other end of the court.

"Good job, Sakura." Jugo remarked snidely as he passed. I narrowed my eyes and began walking toward where everyone seemed to be clustered. For the next 15 minutes, that seemed to be the only thing I did. After my screw up before, the rest of my team refused to entrust me with the basketball. I finally resorted to just standing by our team's basket.

"Run! Do something Miss Haruno! Exercise and invigorate your body!" Coach Gai yelled at me. I stared at him blankly.

"Sakura!" Sasuke yelled at me and I turned around, right when a big orange ball came soaring through the air and right into the side of my head. I heard the clap of body hitting court, and then silence.

"Uhh…" I groaned. My head throbbed uncomfortably. I opened my eyes only to see a flashlight shining in my eye. I looked away, closing my eyes. "Agh, what the heck!" I rubbed my eyes.

The nurse, my family friend Shizune just grabbed my chin so she could shine the light in my face again. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan but I have to make sure you don't have a concussion." I kept my eyes open and she nodded her head. "Looking good." She shut off the flashlight and wrote a couple things on her clipboard. I looked around the room. Sasuke was standing at the end of the bed, his arms crossed.

"Thanks a lot you jerk!" I yelled at him. My head throbbed after I yelled and I winced.

"Take it easy, Sakura." Shizune warned, handing me an aspirin and a glass of water. I swallowed the pill. "Sasuke carried you over here after you got hit in the head. Be nice!" I looked over at Sasuke, who shrugged.

"Yeah except he's the one who got me in here in the first place!" I remarked under my breath.

"You can go ahead and leave school if you want, Sakura. You only have last period left and you've missed the first few minutes of it anyway." Shizune dismissed, walking out of the small room.

"Do you want to leave school?" Sasuke asked me. I thought about it. Either way, Sasuke was always going to be there. I sighed and nodded. I lifted the covers and slid off the bed, standing up. I got dizzy and swayed a bit. Sasuke rushed over and grabbed a hold of me.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I looked up at him. His eyes were a tempestuous grey, like clouds right before a storm. Up close I could see how perfect his skin really was, like pale smooth porcelain. He smelled like cologne and the dewy smell after someone first steps out of a shower. He kept looking into my eyes, searching them. I blinked a couple of times and nodded my head, pushing away from him.

"Y-yes, I'm fine." I told him, stepping back but I just swayed again. Sasuke sighed and picked me up like I was a rag doll. "W-what are you doing?" I shrieked.

"I want to get to my car without having you pass out." Sasuke snapped at me, walking me out of the building. I struggled a bit. "Will you stop squirming and just relax?" he complained. I pouted a bit. Somehow, Sasuke was carrying both me and our book bags. I looked down and saw his upper arms flexing with the weight, veins showing through his skin. I felt my face go up a couple degrees. Thank God it was the middle of class period so no one would see us.

He sat me down to open the Corvette door for me and I got in, looking at my hands in my lap. _Sasuke is being unusually kind._ I thought suspiciously. Sasuke finally got in and started the engine, backing up and driving out of the parking lot. He was driving a lot slower and fluid, not the same jerky, fast driving like this morning.

Sasuke turned right out of the parking lot and began going down the road into the more quiet part of town. "Where are we going?" I asked, looking around. "My house is the other way."

"We're not going to your house." Sasuke said, and I looked at him inquisitively. The buildings began to grow farther and farther apart. More trees and shrubbery began to appear. Sasuke finally pulled into a small parking lot outside…

"An ice cream shop?" I asked. Sasuke just got out. I followed his lead, tagging along with him into the oddly adorable place.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun." An old lady greeted him as we went through the door. He nodded at her.

"Two of my usual." He told her. She started scooping and handed him two cones of ice cream. He handed both to me, pulling out his wallet.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun." She smiled at him. He nodded to her and threw a 20 into the tip jar. The old lady shook her head with a knowing smile on her face. Sasuke grabbed one of the cones out of my hand.

"Let's go." He muttered and I followed him out after smiling at the lady behind the counter. Sasuke walked past his car, across the street, and down a path through an overhand of vines.

"Sasuke, where are we going?" I asked him again.

"Just shut up and eat your ice cream before it melts." He demanded. My eyebrows came together in a frown, but I began to lick the drips from the scoop. Not far down the path, he turned and followed a bridge onto a gazebo that rested in the middle of a giant pond. I looked out and my breath rushed out between my lips. The sun glinted off the pond, and ducks swam on the surface. On the other side of the pond from where we came, there were fields upon fields of wildflowers. I had never seen this part of town.

"It's beautiful." I whispered. I looked over at Sasuke. He was leaning on the railing of the gazebo, staring out across the water. The wind made his hair wave a bit. The familiar feeling of my stomach jumping came back.

"My mom used to take me here." He told me. I looked out over the water. I knew his mom had died when he was smaller. It completely devastated his family. "This is the first time I've been here in a while."

I didn't know what to say. I knew where he was, I knew how he felt. But I just couldn't think of anything good enough to say. No words can comfort the loss of a parent. I couldn't think of how to respond, so I didn't. Sasuke and I stared at the gorgeous view in complete silence, and surprisingly it wasn't awkward at all.

Sasuke dropped me off at my house. "Do you- do you want to come inside?" I asked lamely. Sasuke smirked.

"It's okay. I've got some stuff to take care of at home. I'll talk to you later." I looked back at him one more time before nodding, getting out of the car, and shutting the door. He waited until I got inside before driving off. I locked the door, and turned around, and sighed. I smiled uncontrollably.

I walked into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. I shut the fridge door, turned around and screamed. Someone was sitting at my kitchen table! My grip instinctively tightened on the water bottle in my hand. I chucked the water bottle as hard as I could at the intruder. They gracefully got up off the chair, avoiding the water bottle.

"I-itachi!" I stammered. My heart rate started slowly declining again. "Stop doing that!" I yelled at him, irritated.

"Stop what?" He asked me, a sly look on his face.

"Being a creeper! I'm going to have to put a bell around your neck if you don't stop scaring me like that!"

"That looks like a nasty bump on your head." Itachi remarked, looking up at my forehead. I felt my bump and winced. He was right…I could feel a nasty one coming on. I rushed to the bathroom, and sure enough a red mark was forming on my head. _Do they even create make up that can cover stuff like this?_

I went back into the kitchen and Itachi was gone. "Itachi?" I called. No response. I walked up to my bedroom. Nothing. "He is such a little creeper." I whispered.

**I'm trying, I'm trying! Second chapter in like…a week and a half right? So anyway, first song was Day 'n' Night by Kid Cudi and the second one was Coming Undone by Korn. I feel as my story progresses, the farther Itachi and Sasuke's personalities are straying from the actual Naruto characters. Is this okay with you guys? Any suggestions, comments, or constructive criticisms please leave me. Even criticisms are embraced gratefully.**

**I also created this image which I think is kinda cute. (: check it outt**

**.**

**Thanks! (:**


	4. Chapter 4

_I had to keep running. I wasn't sure at all who or what I was running from, but I had to keep going. They couldn't catch up with me. I heard them yelling at each other. I looked up ahead and saw two figures, looking at me._

"_Mom! Dad!" I yelled. It wasn't my voice, but the high pitched voice of a smaller me. They smiled at me, tears dripping down my mother's face. My father waved at me. How many times had those big hands picked me up? My mother opened her arms to embrace me. Those cozy arms that always gave me comfort when I needed it most. I was getting so close to them. They suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a tall dark figure, his eyes closed and looking down._

_I stopped abruptly in front of him. "Sakura." The velvety voice said. Blood dripped down his face. I stepped back. "You're mine." He opened his eyes and they were a dark, flaming red. I screamed as Itachi grabbed me, pinning me to the ground, his teeth coming close to my neck; his breath was hot and he slowly opened his mouth wider. I screamed again, thrashing about. "Sakura…"_

"Sakura!" Someone yelled. I jolted forward; my fist clenched and I projected it to hit my attacker in the face. Itachi caught it with ease. It took me a while to realize I was crying. He let go of my hand and I took both my hands to wrap them around Itachi's waist. I started sobbing uncontrollably. At first Itachi didn't do anything, and then he awkwardly put his arms around my shaking shoulders.

"Sorry." I finally said after my sobs had subsided. I blushed profusely as I got off of Itachi. So awkward. I looked at Itachi who got off the bed, walking over to the window.

He jumped out of it, and I fell back onto my bed. I decided to just leave the window open. If I went over to the window it would look like I was following him or something. _I think I just made our situation ten times more awkward._

I walked to my sidewalk to wait for Sasuke. I wasn't supposed to be out in the open without anyone like this, but I was tired of waiting inside. The sound of a muffler resonated from down the street. I narrowed my eyes as Sasuke came into view. On his bike. He stopped in front of me. He reached behind me and threw me a helmet.

"I can't get on this thing!" I yelled. Sasuke took his helmet off and gave me a look.

"Why. Because Tsunade-baachan told you to?" He asked sarcastically.

"N-no." I stammered. "I'm wearing a _skirt_. If I wanted everyone to see my underwear I'd join a strip club."

"I'd pay for it." Sasuke replied. I blushed and hit his shoulder.

"I'm not getting on." I told him, crossing my arms for finality.

Fifteen minutes later, I was riding on the back of Sasuke's Yamaha R6 Raven with the ugliest white helmet I've ever seen and holding the back of my skirt through my legs with one hand, and holding on to Sasuke for dear life with the other. For some suspicious reason, I felt like he had ridden the bike on purpose.

Sasuke pulled into the school parking lot, the slight curb which wasn't even felt in the Corvette making me bounce up and down on the bike. I squeaked slightly. It wasn't very comfortable at all. He pulled into the same parking spot and held the bike steady so I could slide off. He handed me my book bag and got off himself. I took my helmet off and threw it at him. He caught it with a scowl.

"What was that for?" He asked, slamming the helmet on the seat of the Raven.

"For making me ride the stupid bike!" I retorted. He took off his helmet, shaking his head then rubbing his hand through his hair. A couple girls stopped and stared and the girl walking behind them ran into them because she wasn't paying attention either. I rolled my eyes and stalked off.

"Sakura…" He started walking beside me. "I can't do cars. I live on my bike." I turned around and noticed we had a following.

"Why don't you get one of your fan club girls to ride on the bike with you?" I told him hatefully, and turned around. For some reason, the fact that those girls were following him irritated me. One, I wasn't used to the attention. And two, Sasuke seemed to actually enjoy it sometimes.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked, easily catching up with me again. "Are you jealous?" He asked, the familiar smirk appearing on his lips.

"W-what? No!" I stammered, a blush appearing on my cheeks. "I'm not!"

"Okay…" Sasuke said, but the way he said it didn't sound like he believed me at all. But…I wasn't jealous. Definitely.

We finally reached our first period and Sasuke opened the door, and held it open. I stood there. Was he opening the door for me? "Are you going through or not?" he asked me. I nodded and walked through.

I sat next to Temari and Sasuke sat behind me. Temari looked at Sasuke and then at me. I still hadn't told her what Sasuke was doing with me all the time, but then again I technically wasn't supposed to. Class started and Kakashi-sensei started talking about something in literature. A folded up piece of paper fell on my desk. I looked at it questioningly. I opened it and saw Temari's handwriting.

_What is hottie hanging out with you for?_

I rolled my eyes and scribbled back.

**I'm not allowed to tell you. I will say it's not a walk in the park. Sasuke is cute but he's a pain.**

_So you do think he's cute? Ooo, Sakura do you like him?_

**No, I don't! He's so irritating. Well…sometimes.**

_Yeah well that's his playboy complex. Explain, though! What's he like at all other times?_

**He's really…**

I couldn't finish writing because another note fell on my desk. It came for over my shoulder. My stomach dropped; Sasuke.

_Stop talking about me._

I turned around to look at him. He had this scary look in his eyes. I blushed and turned around, crumpling up both sheets of paper. I looked over at Temari who looked disappointed. I gave her a little shrug, nodding my head toward Sasuke. Sasuke, in turn, hit the leg of my desk, jerking me forward. I turned around and glared at him. He was so aggravating! I started to think about yesterday, though. His stormy eyes, his smell… I didn't even hear the bell ring.

I hastily threw all my things into my bag and got up. Sasuke was waiting for me near the door. He looked annoyed and crossed his arms.

"Hurry up." He growled.

"God, we have like six minutes between classes. Calm down." I grumbled and pushed pass him out the door. A heated blush crept up on my face again.

I could feel my friends' eyes on my back. I had opted to not sit with Naruto and the rest of my old clique. It was too heated between them. I looked back. Sure enough, Naruto was looking at me. Nix that; Naruto was glaring at me. I stuck my tongue out and turned around. Sasuke was looking at me, rolling his eyes.

"What?" I asked, frowning.

"I was just admiring your maturity." Sasuke said, smirking and taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Screw you, Uchiha." I muttered under my breath. "Where's the rest of your gang, by the way?" I asked. I hadn't seen them all day. It was different having only one pair of eyes boring into the back of your head rather than four all day.

"There's a car show today so they skipped." He said. No wonder he seemed more pissed today than usual. I felt kind of bad. If it wasn't for me, he probably would be checking out the latest car models and motor oil and whatever else he liked to do at car shows. Like having skimpily dressed girls all over him or something.

"You could have gone." I told him, sipping the rest of my milk.

"I can't. I have to watch you." He said, and he crunched up his cola can.

"I'm sorry." I said, standing up and throwing away my tray. "I'm sorry it's such a burden for you." I told him as an after thought and started walking away. I couldn't tell if I was saying it sarcastically or not. I realized how selfish I was being. I was miffed because Sasuke was always around me, because I couldn't see my friends and because Sasuke's fan club was annoying me. But I never considered how it was affecting Sasuke's life. He was giving up just as much of his life. I decided that if I ever saw a Hyuuga, I was going to punch him in the face.

Sasuke came up silently beside me on the way to P.E. "It's not." He said quietly.

"What?" I asked confused.

"It's not a burden watching you. In fact I rather enjoy it sometimes." Sasuke replied. I blushed. "I mean, it's not everyday you get to see someone walk into a door and then hit in the face with a basketball in the same hour." My eyes narrowed.

"You're a jerk." I exclaimed.

"I know." He smirked. I simply turned on my heel and walked through the P.E. doors, without injuring myself.

After an hour of torturous running (While watching Sasuke spring effortlessly, his fan club trailing behind) and another hour of physics with Iruka, the sight of Sasuke's bike waiting in the parking lot wasn't welcomed gracefully. Sasuke got on, putting his helmet on and starting the engine. I simply stared at him, arms folded and an obviously cross expression plastered on my face. Sasuke patted the seat behind him sarcastically.

I sighed and threw my bag at his face so he could store it. He caught it without flinching. I pulled my skirt through my legs and hopped on, strapping the ugly helmet on my head. Sasuke accelerated quickly so both my arms had to quickly wrap around his torso before I flew off the back end. Sasuke took the corner out of the school parking lot at 50; I almost slipped off and my knees unconsciously went up and clenched Sasuke's body tightly. _Why the hell is he driving like a madman?_ I thought frantically. He passed the turnoff to my house and my stomach sunk. I didn't like it when he didn't tell me where we were going.

"Sasuke, where are we going?" I yelled. He didn't even acknowledge that I had spoken. He merged onto the highway. I could hardly stand being on neighborhood streets on this thing but the _highway_? Yep, I was going to die.

Usually, Sasuke went 30 over the speed limit. So if the posted highway speed was 70, we had to be going at least 100. My skirt was edging up underneath me, threatening to fly out behind me and flash the cars behind us. I wanted to grab it, but the thought of letting go of Sasuke scared me too much. I was holding on to him so tightly my arms were sweaty because of his leather jacket.

Sasuke quickly cut across three lanes of traffic to take the exit. I could hear the angry honks behind us, but I could have cared less. Taking a few turns, Sasuke finally turned onto a dirt road. That slowed us down some, but we were still going at least 60. Finally we pulled out of the wooded road into a huge field.

_Damn Sasuke. Damn Sasuke Uchiha to hell._ I thought bitterly. A couple acres of cars, motorcycles, boats and booths were spread out in front of us in the field. He had taken me to the freaking car show. Sasuke pulled and parked at the end of a long line of motorcycles. A couple people crowded around us, including the rest of the Hawk. Sasuke put the kick stand down and took his helmet off. I followed suit, just wanting the damn thing off. Apparently the fury I felt was scribbled on my face because Sasuke smirked. I got off and my knees and arms started shaking from holding on to him so long. Sasuke hopped off and walked over to the crowd, shaking some hands and bumping fists with others.

I crossed my arms while glaring at him, wishing I could glare two perfect holes into the back of his stupid, sexy head. Sasuke looked back at me and then told something to Karin, who nodded. He walked over to me and I just glared at him even more.

"Hey, might want to fix your clothes." He told me. I quickly looked down. My skirt was wrinkled and riding up, my bra was practically twisted around making my chest look weird, and my collar was twisting out at weird angles. I'm sure my hair was amazing. I quickly turned my bra around and fixed my collar and skirt, blushing crazily.

"God, what the hell Sasuke! What are we doing here? If we hadn't taken your damn motorcycle this wouldn't have happened!" I ranted, trying to mess with my hair and make it lie at least flatter than it was. He just smirked.

"Just because I have to watch over you all the time doesn't mean I'm going to completely give up my life. The deal was to watch over you, and I am. There was nothing in the contract that said I have to follow everywhere you go." The whole time he spoke, he didn't smile. Ashton Kutcher didn't pop out either, so…this jerk was being completely serious. _I can't believe this! I even felt sorry for him! Ugh!_

Sasuke started walking off. I wasn't sure if I should follow him. I mean, I didn't want him to get in trouble. I sighed and started following him.

"Sasuke!" Sasuke and I both searched for where the voice was coming from. All of a sudden, a blonde in miniscule cut-off shorts and a tight white shirt came flying from nowhere and attacked Sasuke, throwing her arms around his neck and nuzzling into his chest. I felt my eye twitch slightly as her boobs pressed into him. Sasuke didn't look happy to see her but he wasn't throwing her off, so I assumed he was enjoying himself.

"Hi, Ino." Sasuke said. She let go, stepping back and smiling ecstatically at him.

"When did you show up? I've missed you, baby." She said, putting on a pouty face and grabbing his hands.

"I just got here. I had to babysit her at school." Sasuke said, throwing a thumb back in my direction. My jaw dropped. _What. The. Hell._

"Oh." Ino said curly. Her nose wrinkled up slightly. "Who is she?"

"Haruno Sakura." I said, disdain barely hidden in the tone of my voice.

"Oh, you're that girl whose parents were murdered." Ino said, recognition lighting up her eyes. "I remember my parents telling me about that. Didn't we go to the same pre-school?" she asked sincerely.

"I don't know." I replied. I hated meeting new people, and this was the reason why. I wanted to get away from them. I couldn't stand it. Ino talking about my parents and Sasuke treating me like…work or something. Ino looked miffed. I knew I was being rude but there was a reason girls like Ino and I were not friends. "I have to…go to the bathroom." I said, turning around and walking away. Sasuke was calling me…or was he? Maybe it was just in my head.

"Sakura-chan." Someone said behind me. I turned around. _Who-_

"Gaara!" I exclaimed in surprise. Relief rushed through me. I'm not sure if I was excited because I still had small feelings for him, or because he was someone who treated me like a person and not someone that was pulling him down. "What are you doing here?"

"More like what are you doing here? This is a rather rough part of town." Gaara retorted.

"Sasuke brought me here." I said. Gaara nodded his head, signaling me to follow him and I did.

"So what's going on with you two nowadays? Are you guys like dating or something?" He asked. I blushed ten shades darker.

"Oh my lord, no." I said, laughing a bit. "It's kind of complicated to explain, actually." I said.

"I see." He said. One good thing about Gaara was that he didn't hover on awkward situations. "Temari misses you. Apparently Sasuke has been taking over your life lately."

"I know…" I muttered. "Sasuke just pisses all my friends off so I haven't been able to hang out with anyone lately. Wait…why are you here?" I hoped that me changing the subject wasn't obvious.

"I like being here. All the people, the cars, you know. Well, I guess you wouldn't." Gaara said. Was he…getting nervous? He wouldn't look at me.

"No, I get it." I said smiling. "I like the cars…not so much the people. Things get…complicated when I meet new people. I have trust issues." I couldn't decide if I liked the fact that I was spilling all this out. Gaara was just really easy to talk to, because he liked to listen more than talk. "Plus, I like cars but I don't know anything about them so I feel like I have nothing in common with the people here. I mean, I love gawking at nice cars as much as the next person, but pop the hood and I'm useless." I said smiling. Gaara smiled back and stopped in front of a sleek, black car.

"Oh my god, Gaara, is this yours?" I said, a smile brightening up my face. He looked proud but a little shy when he smiled. This car was definitely a Gaara-car.

"Yes, I just got her. Temari thinks it's silly-using money for cars. I can't help myself though." That sounded like Temari; so frugal. I could understand though. The three siblings had lots of inheritance, but with no parents like me, their business crashed instead of flourishing like mine. They didn't have Tsunade, however.

"I was thinking I'd teach you about cars. You know- so you don't feel so useless." Gaara explained. I smiled.

"Yeah. That'd be great." I replied, smiling warmly.

Gaara was explaining to me that a dipstick wasn't another word for dipshit when it happened. First, it was the shouting and arguing at the car behind us. I turned around and Gaara looked up from the engine. One guy pushed another and then guns were pulled. Three shots went off and one of the guys fell down. I screamed, my shriek just joining the many others as people began to flee the scene. The guy and his gang began to shoot at bystanders. Gaara grabbed my hand, running behind his car. I looked up at him, trying to find security in his face. He looked determined and concentrated, but not scared which gave me some comfort.

We began to run, hunched over behind other cars. Someone was hit next to Gaara, and blood spurted from his arm. He went down screaming. I closed my eyes. I couldn't stand looking at the scarlet liquid. Shudders ran up and down my spine. Pretty soon Gaara and I were far enough away. I looked around and recognized the line of motorcycles and the Raven at the end.

A cool hand grabbed my arm. "Sakura, where the hell were you? I've been looking for you!" I looked up into Sasuke's narrowed, steely dark eyes. Gaara pushed me behind him.

"You should have been paying more attention to her, Uchiha. I don't know what game you're playing but this is a dangerous place for her." Gaara said, his eyes not leaving Sasuke's.

Headlights blinded me for a second and a lustrous black Lamborghini Murciélago R-GT going at top speed slowed then fish-tailed, stopping before hitting Sasuke. The driver killed the lights and the door opened. My eyes, still adjusting from being blinded couldn't see who got out of the car until he was grabbing Sasuke by his collar.

_Itachi._

"What the fuck were you thinking taking Haruno to a place like this, Sasuke? She could have gotten hurt you fucking dumbass. I can't believe father would entrust you with something as big as this. You obviously aren't responsible enough for something like this." Itachi said all this in a whisper, but it was the most menacing and intimidating whisper I'd ever heard. When Itachi acknowledged me, I jumped.

"Sakura! Let's go." He barked, a bit of the anger still lingering in his voice. Sasuke's eyes were narrowed and he watched me walk over to Itachi, his eyes never leaving mine until I looked away. Itachi put his arm around my shoulder and walked me to the passenger side door, opening the door and taking my hand so I could get in. He shut the door and walked around to the driver's side. I blushed at his manners. No guy had ever treated me with such courtesy before.

I saw Gaara standing near Sasuke still and I waved. He nodded his head and began to walk away. Flashing police lights flashed and Itachi turned on his engine, killing the lights. He backed out and drove right past the police cars. How they didn't see us, I didn't know.

"I'm sorry for the actions of my idiotic brother, Haruno-sama. You deserved better." Itachi's voice filled the car. I was thankful that it was dark so he couldn't see my face flush.

"It's okay, Itachi…er…Uchiha-sama. I understand. Sasuke is still a teenage guy. I totally get that he feels tied up by me and he would want to live like he normally does."

"I admire your compassion, Sakura. But please don't give my brother sympathy. He's almost an adult and he needs to begin acting like it. Stunts like this are childish."

"Uchiha-sama..." I began but Itachi cut me off.

"You may call me Itachi if you wish, Sakura. I know our arrangement is formal but our relationship doesn't have to be." He said lightly and I flushed again. I could smell him from where I was sitting. It smelled so good that I wanted to bury my face in his neck…but that would be weird…

"Itachi-sama…you won't tell your father, will you? I don't want Sasuke to get in any trouble." I said quietly. Itachi was silent for a bit.

"Because you wish it, Sakura. But if he ever puts you in any sort of trouble again I won't be so lenient."

"Deal." I agreed. I was still rather angry at Sasuke. I mean, I know I walked off but with Ino all over him it's not like he missed me. There was uncomfortable silence in the car until he pulled up to my house. "Thanks for the ride home, Itachi-sama." I said, opening the car door.

"One moment, Sakura-chan." Itachi called to me. "Take this." He said, throwing a silver object at me.

"A cell-phone?" I asked, confused.

"In case anything happens again." He explained. "My number is already programmed in there for you." I smiled.

"Thank you." I shut the door and began walking to my door. I heard the car window roll down.

"I'll be outside all tonight, okay?" Itachi called. I turned around and nodded. Still the creeper.

**Wow I know, long time, haha. So I made two references in this chapter. One is to a song and another is to a book. Can you find them? Haha. Anyway I can feel Itachi slowly degrading from the manga character. Allwell (: Anyway leave a comment or something please. (:**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The dull glow of my new phone blinded me; I couldn't see anything in my cavernous, dark room with the bright phone so close to my face. My light, almost transparent ivory nightgown was frequently blown against my skin by my fan. The sensation sent goose bumps erecting all over my body. I was cold, but at the same time, the shivers it caused to vibrate through my body was exciting.

The 10 digits sat there, gently calling my name, begging me to press 'Dial.' I wouldn't give in to their incessant yet seductive plea. But I yearned to talk to him. I knew he was already close. He was simply a few steps away. I'd just pull back the shade, unlatch the hook, pull away the right side of the double window…and…and…what? Nothing. Because I couldn't come up with anything to say to him, even just sitting here thinking about him. I took a last look at the screen of my phone. 'Itachi.' It looked beautiful, even in the straight, boxy letters the phone's text provided.

I gasped exasperatedly and shoved the cell underneath my pillow. I grabbed my sheets, pulling them up to my chin, finally giving into the angry prickles my feet were experiencing because of the cold. He's outside. His face made it's way into my mind. His strong profile I glimpsed when I was riding in the car with him. His gentle eyes that always had a teasing upward slant. My face grew hot and I snuggled deeper into my bed, pulling the silk sheets above my head.

I knew that every day was dangerous because at any moment, a Hyuuga could come running at me with a sword, or something but I had to hand it to them; if they weren't threatening my life right now, Uchiha Itachi wouldn't be standing outside my window right now. With another angry sigh I slipped my hand under my pillow, sliding the phone into a position for me to text.

"Hmmm," I muttered aloud.

"Hi, Itachi. Thanks for earlier, I know it's annoying to have to keep tabs on—"

"No…" my brow furrowed. Stupid.

"Hey, baby I—"

"Hell no," I whispered.

"Want to come inside? I know it's cold. (;" I let a low growl escape from my lips, closing the phone and throwing it lightly to the end of my bed. I groaned as I pulled myself up to get it, opening it again. I stared at the blinking cursor for what seemed like ages, continuously having to unlock the phone.

"Hey" was the simple message I sent. As soon as the phone alerted me that the message had sent, my heart began to beat erratically. What had I done? The last thing he probably wanted to see was a message from me, the stupid girl he had to babysit because my own security wasn't enough. I clenched my eyes, the grip on my phone tightening. All of a sudden, I didn't want him to text me back. I set the phone on my bedside table and turned away from it towards my door. I bit my lip, turning around to stare at the tiny silver cell. How could something so small cause me so much distress? I wish Itachi had never given me such a wretched thing.

A loud, buzzing noise resonated throughout my room. I snatched the phone off the bedside table before the second, quieter vibration following the first could even occur. I slid open the phone, and there it was. A box with five little words that sent my mind reeling.

"One new message from: Itachi"

With shaking hands, I pressed 'Read.'

"Hello, Miss Sakura," my eyes skimmed the introduction and I smiled. "I would love to talk to you, but as it is a school night and you have class in seven hours, I think it wise that you go to sleep. –Itachi." My mouth dropped open a little. He sounded like my father!

"Fine!" I exclaimed, though louder than I had anticipated. I forcefully opened the drawer of the bedside table, threw the phone in and slammed it shut. Mumbling, I faced toward my door again (purposefully away from the window) and let my wander mind eventually drift off to sleep.

"Sakura," my eyes opened a bit to see a dark haired figure leaning over me. I closed my eyes again. Hmmm…so early in the morning…Itachi? I rolled over, not wanting him to see me without make up on. "Sakura, we're late for school! Get your ass out of bed!" My eyes flew open as I turned around to see a very unhappy Sasuke. His arms were crossed, brow furrowed and I may have imagined it, but one of his eyes seemed to be twitching irately.

I jumped out of the bed and scrambled to my chest of drawers, opening some then closing them, realizing in my rush that I didn't even need anything in them. I pulled out a random bra, running over to where my school uniform was. I lifted my shirt over my head, preparing to put my bra on when I remembered Sasuke was still standing in my room. I quickly pulled my nightdress down, blushing furiously. He had a smug smirk on his face.

"Lacy underwear…nice," he grinned. I marched over to him, but he left before I reached him. I'd strangle him later…

I rushed outside and hopped on the bike. I came prepared this time…I wore shorts underneath my skirt. I hopped on, not bothering to latch the helmet onto my head. I gripped Sasuke's stomach. Flashes from yesterday appeared in my head, and my embrace got tighter, but Sasuke's body was rock hard; he didn't even flinch. My mouth twisted into a dissatisfied frown.

We pulled up to the school and I realized that noone was in the parking lot, which meant noone would stare at us like we had come naked. I guess that was a benefit of skipping first period. I hopped off the bike before it even came to a full stop, and began stomping off to the entrance. Sasuke caught up with me effortlessly, almost gliding at my side as we walked. Well, he was walking while I was working up a sweat jogging, trying to escape him.

"Are you pissed because I saw you half naked?" Sasuke asked in a voice that seemed infinitely too loud. I turned around to glare at him incredulously. How dare he speak of that mortifying event with such nonchalance? The people in front of us turned around to look at us. I flushed with anger and embarrassment, hugging my books to my chest and avoiding eye contact with Sasuke.

"And no," I began after it was obviously too late to answer him. "I'm pissed because you brought me to that ridiculous car show yesterday and that you left me to be with…with…that pig Ino and then you didn't even try to look for me!" I continued, all of my anger rushing and blurring the words together.

"Hey, you're the one who ran off!" he retorted, stopping in the middle of the hall. More people began to stare, looking quickly away when I looked at them. "Plus, it looked like you were having fun with that Gaara kid." He said, mostly under his breath. Even though I was angry with him, and he was angry with me I couldn't help but notice how good he still managed to look. He was one of the few people who could scowl and still pull it off. He looked back at me when I didn't respond, interrupting my ogling. I pursed my lips and continued to walk to class.

"See, you didn't mind me not being there. I'm sure you were having too much fun with Gaara and his engine, am I right?" he kept pressing the issue and it was beginning to irritate me.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I gasped back at him angrily. "Having too much fun…are you implying something?"

"Well, it looked that way to me when you came running over clinging to his arm…"

"I was scared!" I interrupted him, and I surprised myself and Sasuke when my eyes began to well up. I hadn't really thought about it until now; I had been too distracted by Itachi, but it was all coming down on me at once. I could have died. "And you weren't there when I needed you." I whispered, letting one tear escape before I wiped it away angrily and entered the classroom. I had already sat in my seat and told Temari that nothing was wrong by the time Sasuke followed me into the room, his foot touching the linoleum of the classroom floor at exactly the moment the bell rang.

"I was just making sure." Temari continued, pulling her eyes away from the oddly perplexed Uchiha. "You weren't in first period."

"I overslept." I said simply, knowing she wouldn't believe me. My red puffy eyes probably gave that away. Temari simply nodded and turned around. I knew she was getting frustrated with me; we hardly hung out anymore and even when we saw each other at school I rarely talked to her. The same went for everyone else, including Naruto, who I missed as well.

The rest of the day went by slowly and quietly, almost torturously so. Sasuke didn't so much as look at me since our argument this morning, but he was well enough to talk to everyone in the Hawks. It was a lonely lunch with noone I knew or wanted to talk with to talk to. I did catch a couple glimpses thrown my way from my old table. Did they notice my forlorn expression, my stares that just screamed "help me, I'm being held hostage by a douche bag Uchiha who won't let me sit with you because he's got daddy issues and doesn't want to disgrace his family"? If they did, they did nothing about it.

Sasuke dropped me off at my house and as soon as my feet hit the ground he was off, leaving the white helmet on my head. I watched his back all the way until he turned the corner. I took the horrid helmet off my head and threw it into the middle of the road. He deserved to have his helmet run over…I got halfway up my lengthy driveway before I gave a frustrated sigh and retrieved the helmet. I'd need it later anyway, incase Sasuke's maniacal driving drove my head into pavement the one day I didn't have the helmet.

I sat it on the informal dining room table after I walked inside. I ran upstairs, skipping steps. I threw my book bag on the white wicker trunk at the foot of my bed and grabbed my MacBook. I laid down on my stomach, waiting impatiently for the laptop to start up. I had planned on doing some homework early, but when I pulled up Word I hesitated, groaning and rolling over onto my back. Getting an early start on my homework…hah!

Sasuke left so now I couldn't go outside…Tsunade would never allow me to leave the premises alone. Maybe Aizu, my maid would take me somewhere. I got excited for a while and then remembered she was on her day off. Tsunade was on an overnight trip to Hong Kong today, too. So I was technically alone in this house besides Hideki, the butler, but he was in the servant's quarters. My eyes wandered to my bedside table drawer. The cell phone…Itachi!

I opened the drawer and pulled out the silver device, sliding it open. I opened up my contacts and realized there were more contacts then just Itachi's. The Uchiha's household number, every member of the Hawks, including Sasuke's and some names I didn't recognize. Madara, Deidara, Kisame…names that I may or may not have heard before but I definitely could not match faces to them. I ended up opening Itachi's contact information. I was so tempted to press the Talk button but I exited out when I realized he was probably asleep. Itachi wasn't a machine, he had to sleep too, which was probably during the day when he wasn't watching me.

My thoughts were interrupted by the growling of my stomach. I went downstairs, rummaging through the pantry. Nothing. Well, at least nothing I knew how to cook. I checked the freezer for frozen dinners…no frozen dinners but a lot of ice cream. I bent down to scavenger in the freezer's drawers. Satisfied with nothing in them, I grabbed a popsicle and shut the door. I screamed as I realized someone was behind the door, watching me.

Poised to fight with the popsicle in hand, my eyes instinctively closed when the intruder began moving, defeating the purpose of me even trying to fight at all. The popsicle was moved out of my grasp, leaving small ice chips behind.

"This is what you call a dinner?" his deep, honeyed voice said. I opened my eyes, meeting subtle, deep scarlet ones. "And is that what you call a defensive stance?" he continued playfully, but I was still distracted by his eyes.

"Your eyes…" I whispered, my hands instinctively folding into fists, my nails biting into my skin. "They're…red…" I said, unable to look away from them. He blinked, looking slightly confused. I could tell he was feigning unawareness.

"Are you sure? Hm, maybe they're reflecting the red sunset." He said, but I could tell there was a mocking tone to his explanation, almost as if he were answering a silly question a child had asked. Even though I knew this, I nodded, relaxing my muscles unwillingly. He held up the Popsicle, seemingly relieved that I hadn't continued to pressure him about it, but it was still on my mind.

"This isn't healthy for you," he said, his tone almost parental. I frowned.

"I can't cook…it was the only thing I could find that didn't require me to work with an oven or sharp objects. I usually don't do well with cooking…" I trailed off, smiling sheepishly. He shook his head, and returned the Popsicle to its box in the freezer.

"If you want this after dinner you may have it, but I'll make you something that's has actual nutritional value." He told me, walking over to the pantry. "You have tons of stuff in here. What about some Italiano?" He asked me, holding out a yellow box full of pasta. He said 'Italiano' with a perfect accent and it phased me a little; it took me a while before I smiled and nodded, embarrassed that he was having to cook for me but also pleased that he seemed interested in me enough to cook me dinner. This was 3rd date stuff, stuff one person did to impress the other. My daydreams were interrupted by my cruel realistic voice in my head that reminded me that he was here to protect me, and if that meant protecting my stomach from the evil of hunger than he was going to do it.

He began searching for the pots and pans; I at least knew where those were. When I was little I would watch Tsunade cook, forever aspiring to be like her but I just didn't get the cooking thing down. I reached underneath the stove and pulled out a pot, handing it to him.

"Thank you, Sakura." He told me pleasantly and I felt very satisfied with myself, wanting him to thank me more. I reached down and got a sauce pan for the sauce and another pan just in case. He thanked me for it all again, sending waves of pleasure through me. I smiled at him, but he never smiled back, just continuously preoccupied by cooking; by his job.

"I think we have some Prego in the pantry, I'll get it." I said and he shook his head.

"Prego? No, I'm not going to make you eat Prego. Just sit down and let me handle it."

"I'd feel bad though…at least let me help you, Itachi." Just saying his name sent an electrical current from my tongue to my toes. He finally smiled at me, the corner of his eyes crinkling.

"Okay then. Can you get me some cream, butter and salt then?" he asked. I went to the refrigerator to find the requested items, eager as a child. That's what I realized I sometimes felt around him…like a child. Was it because he was so much older than me that his maturity made me look juvenile in comparison?

He turned the stove up to a medium heat, pouring the cream in. I was impatient watching him cook, so my eyes strayed to just watching him. His arms would flex as he stirred or moved the pots around. If it got a little hot, he wiped his brow with his forearm. What mystified me most though, was his concentration. Everything he did was so calculated, so exact. His eyes were intense and focused. He looked up at me and I blushed, immediately looking at the bubbling cream. He took it off the heat and added butter, whisking it before returning it to the heat. Right as he sat the saucepan down, the water in the pot began to boil so he added in the pasta. It clinked the bottom of the pan as it fell in. A few drops came and hit my arm, and I reflexively pulled back, hissing.

"Sakura, are you alright?" Itachi asked, grabbing my wrist and examining my arm. I blushed furiously before removing my arm from his gentle grasp.

"Yes," I stuttered. "It just startled me is all, it didn't even hurt." I assured him.

"I'm sorry." He told me, looking down towards the food again, his brow furrowed.

"It's really okay…" I said again but he didn't even look up. He poured olive oil into the pan I provided and then added garlic powder and oregano, popping a few shrimp in afterwards.

"It's almost ready, so you may sit down if you wish." He told me, and I followed his orders, getting a plate and fork ready so he wouldn't have to find it himself. I sat down at the table, facing him. I realized I should have done this before…one, he couldn't see my brash staring when he couldn't see me and second, he was as good looking going as he was coming.

He turned around and I determinedly kept my eyes focused on the plate in his hand. The pasta was covered with his homemade alfredo sauce and sautéed shrimp. Needless to say, I was impressed and gawking. He set it down in front of me, and then pulled the chair out next to me, placing his elbow on the table and resting his chin on his fist, watching me intently.

I took the fork and speared a shrimp, then I delicately wound a strand of alfredo saturated noodle around it. I slid it in my mouth, trying to look as mannered as possible for my staring guest. He smiled lazily as he saw my eyes light up and my spine go straight.

"Oh my god." I mumbled as I covered my mouth, not wanting him to see the food in my mouth as I talked and chewed. "It's so good…" I continued, smiling. He shrugged.

"I learned it myself. Just follow the recipes, it's not hard." He stood up and crossed the floor to begin cleaning the dishes. As soon as he turned the water on I started my coughing and sputtering, trying to rid the taste of scalded, spoiled milk and raw fish out of my mouth. I shuttered; it was the most god awful thing I think I'd ever tasted. I stared, disheartened, at the rest of the pasta on my plate which seemed like the biggest plate of pasta ever now. I didn't want to be rude, so I downed a bit of water and continued eating.

Itachi was many things…beautiful, intelligent, graceful…but cook was definitely not one of them.

**...Sorry hahhahaha it's been awhile...it's summer, and i'm constantly bored so i thought this would be a great thing to pick up again. I actually story boarded the rest of this story! I never do that! There are definitely some interesting things ahead (: Expect longer chapters and better writing now that I actually know where I'm going with this story. I'm so excited so I hope you guys like it...and hopefully my writing has steadily improved! Anyway, half of the next chapter is already written so expect that soon. This story shouldn't be that long, it's mostly straight forward and mostly...happy haha but we'll see. R&R muah muah**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Thank you, I'm stuffed," I said as Itachi took away the halfway eaten pasta filled plate to the sink to wash it. I half ran to the freezer and took out the Cherry Popsicle, hoping the taste would cleanse my palette. I vowed to never let him cook for me again.

"Why didn't you eat?" I asked him, but I knew I was glad he didn't eat. If he had, it would have been so embarrassing for him to taste that and know I had eaten it too…at least, I would have been embarrassed.

"I ate before I came." He said, although a bit too quickly, like it was an automatic answer to the question I asked.

"Oh…" I said.

"I will be outside your window. Goodnight, Sakura." He said, getting up and walking towards the door.

"Er…Itachi?" he turned around to face me. "Thank you again for the dinner." He nodded and walked outside.

The door shut, and I walked upstairs to my bathroom. The first thing I did was brush my teeth, attempting to rid any traces of my dinner out of my mouth. I stepped in the shower, washing my hair and body quickly, but I stayed in the water until it started to cool, my hands pruny and my feet tinted red from the heat. I wrapped the towel around my body; usually, at this time of night, I would just walk naked from my bathroom to my room and just get dressed with my towel still wrapped around my head. Now that I had Uchiha boys and…men running around my house, I felt it appropriate that I kept all parts of me covered at all times. Well, with the exception of this morning and the whole Sasuke-nightdress incident. I blushed at the memory.

I turned my light off and cracked my door open, keeping the hallway light on. I'd always slept that way since my childhood. I wasn't so much scared of the dark anymore as it was a habit. I slid onto my bed, a relieved sigh escaping from my lips until my foot hit something hard at the end of the bed. My laptop! My homework! I groaned as I sat up, pulling the laptop into my lap and touching the mouse pad so it awoke from sleep mode.

I turned the brightness down because it hurt my eyes, but my whole room was still lit up with the soft glow. At least I liked to write; it made writing an analytical paper on Nathaniel Hawthorne all that more bearable. I began to type about melancholy moods and his dark settings, completely preoccupied with what I was doing. Completely concentrated on my paper, I didn't feel the warm presence near my right arm, and I jumped when he spoke.

"What are you writing?" I looked up at him, his head cocked to read my paper. I flushed and put the top down a little so he couldn't read. I disliked when anyone read my writing before it was finished; it was still rough and unfinished. He chuckled. "Is it that bad?"

"No, I just don't like people reading my unfinished works." I said, smiling apologetically. I noticed Itachi was close enough to see me clearly, but there was a good few feet between him and the bed. The last time Itachi had been in my room, I had been clutching him after my nightmare. I felt the heat on my face…how embarrassing. Perhaps that's why he refused to get closer.

"Are you like that with everything?" Itachi asked, his head still cocked in a quirky, curious manner. A confused expression twisted my face.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Itachi began, clearly hesitant to tell me what he meant. I noticed his stance…straight back, arms behind his back. If he were wearing a suit with tails, a hat and a monocle he could have been stepping straight out of the nineteenth century. A smile graced my lips at the thought of him speaking in a british accent instead of his sultry voice I had come to adore. He must have found my smile to be an encouraging one because he continued. "When I was first assigned to be your night watch, I did a little…walk through of your room." He stopped there, waiting for a reaction from me. It did irk me; I valued my privacy very much and he hadn't even asked. But, I hated to say that I was curious to what he was trying to say and ultimately, because it was Itachi, I didn't care. And that bothered me. If Sasuke was to look through my things…an image of me strangling him while holding him half outside my open window put a darker grin on my face. Itachi's eyebrow rose but he began speaking again. "I know it was rude of me, I should have asked your permission but to be honest, at the time I felt I had the right because I was protecting you. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," I told him, and I knew it really was. "

"I saw your paintings and sketches. I was…impressed. You're a very accomplished girl." Itachi's compliment made my heart beat faster. "But I noticed that the ones you are finished with you have out in the open, where they are visible. The ones you haven't finished you hide." I put my head down, but looked up at him through my lashes, slowly nodding.

"Yes, I prefer people to see them after I've completed them." I told him.

"Michelangelo was the same," He told me. "It took him almost four years to complete the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. No one was allowed in except his assistants for the whole four years it took him to complete it." I wasn't as interested in his story as I was just hearing him talk, but I would nod my head every now and then to let him know I was paying attention. I wondered if he was making this up…he appeared to be able to cook and then he couldn't. Was this really history or was he mistaking painters? I decided I'd look it up later.

"Are you interested in art too?" I asked him sinking down into my covers again and folding my hands onto my stomach. I used to sit like this, staring up at my mother instead of Itachi when she would tell me bed time stories. They were always about a little pink haired princess who, instead of waited in towers to be rescued, would go out on adventures and save the kingdom herself. Then she would fall in love with a lowly squire, who was the only one to accept her because she was the one doing the saving. As I grew older I knew this to be an impossibility; what man would want to be with someone who didn't need him? I found it funny that I was so unlike the strong princess my mother probably imagined to be when I grew up. I was constantly dependent on the people around me; Tsunade, Sasuke, the Hawks, Gaara…and Itachi. Did he feel as inconvenienced as I feared he felt?

"To be honest, I've never had the passion for art and sculpture as much as I'm sure my family would want me to be. In a family like mine, being accomplished is almost forced down your throat. I have swallowed it more gracefully than Sasuke has. I—oddly—admire him for his rebelliousness," he said, the corners of his mouth edging up in a half smile. "Except when it puts you in danger." He added, his eyes locking onto mine. My breath caught in my throat. "For some reason, though your art I find very intriguing." I turned on my side, resting my head in the crook of my elbow.

"What about it do you find so fascinating?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips. I was genuinely curious, mainly because he was intrigued by something I had done.

"It seems like it has…two sides," he started, though it seemed as if he was choosing his words very meticulously. "Like your painting of the flowers in your front yard. It's very beautiful, and the colors used are light…mmm, almost flashy colors. But if you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't see the butterfly, which appears to be resting on a flower in the background, is actually caught in a spider's web. I'm not sure if that was done on purpose, or if it was simply the scene you were painting. It's a very happy picture, but with a very dark portrayal of life." I frowned a little. The way he was describing it, it made me sound like I was some sadistic painter who only valued painting art that showed the darker side of life.

"You're angry with my critique." He stated more than questioned, but amusement was still exposed in his eyes.

"No, I'm not angry." I said quickly. I could never be angry with him… "It's just, I didn't mean to make it dark. I just paint what my hand tells me to."

"Interesting," he said, and I could feel that our conversation was over. I didn't want it to be over so badly that it physically hurt. I scanned my brain, trying to think of anything to talk about in this awkward silence but I couldn't, I was too flustered.

"What do you like to do, Itachi?" I asked, placing my two hands in a praying position under my head, propping it higher up so I could see him better. He was now leaning against my bedside table, facing away from me, yet his eyes still focused on me.

"Read," he told me. My ears perked at his answer. I liked to read, too. "About everything. Fiction, non-fiction it doesn't really matter. But only about things that interest me."

"What interests you?" I asked him in almost a whisper; I was getting tremendously sleepy.

"A lot of things. Biographies interest me, but not of normal people. Mostly serial killers; nothing a girl should have to read." He said, smiling a little. "I find it captivating, the way they think of things. Why they want to kill so willingly…no one has ordered them to kill another person, they weren't forced. How can they voluntarily end the life of another human being?"

"You'd be surprised how easy it is," I mumbled. "When I was younger, I promised myself that if I ever caught the guy who killed my parents…" I trailed off, zoning in and out of consciousness. The last thing I felt—though I wasn't positive—was a light hand brushing my bangs out of my face and then gliding down my face to my chin.

I woke up earlier than usual, which surprised me since I stayed up so late talking with Itachi. Itachi! I sat up and looked around my room. My laptop sat on my bedside table, and he had pulled my sheets up onto my body. I sat there for a while, rethinking what had happened last night. I had a full conversation with Itachi. I smiled then giggled like a child, throwing myself into my pillow to laugh harder. I didn't know what it was; I hardly knew him. Was it because he was good looking? I didn't know, but something pulled me to him; the only thing I could think of to describe the feeling was gravity and the earth. Did he feel the same? Or was I a foolish schoolgirl who jumped on anything that moved? All I knew is that I wanted to become closer to Itachi, who mystified me like no other. He was so business like and stoic that I felt I was hoping too much on learning more about him. I sighed and got up to go to my bathroom. I felt like putting on make-up today. I tried to convince myself that it wasn't to impress anyone, I just felt like I should but that wasn't fooling anyone.

The next week, I didn't even remember school anymore. It was monotonous; Sasuke picked me up, took me to school, took me home. Because we were still angry with each other, it left little room for conversation. I lived to go home, to wait until nightfall for Itachi to come. We would sit and talk until 2 in the morning, and I would either fall asleep or he would tell me to rest so I would.

Some of our conversations would begin to get deep and interesting, but Itachi always pulled it back up to surface conversation. Everyday, I felt like I was chipping away at the professional, emotionally wall-separating Itachi, but sometimes I could feel the wall there still. It was on our eighth late night conversation when Itachi's wall was broken…but it seemed only like moments.

"I think our childhoods were similar," I had begun. "Without parents. I mean, you still had your father but you know what it's like to lose one." I said, fidgeting with my discomfort.

"No," Itachi said, his voice growing cold. "When my mother died, I lost my father as well. He was always an unattached man but when we lost my mother, any paternal care he had for us vanished. A new person…cruel and controlling, trying to mold us into perfect heirs for his perfect company. Always we had unrelenting training, schooling and punishments for the smallest things." He was no longer looking at me, but his clenched hands. I had never noticed the small white patches of scarred skin on the palms of his hands. They looked almost like…crosses. It was too dark in my room to be sure. My hand instinctively found his, gripping it. It was meant to be a comforting gesture but he stood up and my hand fell to my side.

"You should sleep," he mumbled, and left. I sighed with discontent as he left. So close to breaking that barrier, and then failure.

Itachi didn't come and speak with me the next night. I began to worry…did I say something? Miss something? I tip-toed over to my window, trying to be a surreptitious as possible as I checked to make sure the window wasn't locked. It wasn't. I went over to my bed and stayed awake until three, finally falling to sleep when my body just couldn't take waiting any longer.

-Itachi's Point of View

I saw a pink head bob up from the bottom of the window and I smiled. What was she doing now? If she was trying to be inconspicuous she was doing a horrible job. My smile faded from my lips. I knew she was wondering why I wasn't talking to her, but I had broken a very important code yesterday. I had gotten emotionally attached to Sakura. I had trusted her enough to tell her about my father. If anyone from Akatsuki found out about this…

That's why I couldn't face her today. I couldn't talk as much with her anymore, as much as I found her completely captivating, and not just her looks. True, she was a gorgeous girl. Her big, curious green eyes, her pale complexion. But the way she presented herself. With her confidence, inquisitive deposition and kind acceptance. But it was also the way she looked at me. She probably didn't notice, but sometimes a frustrated look would come on her face when she looked at me. Was she angry with me? Was she perturbed with something I said? I didn't know, which fascinated me even more. She was also a client. And I wasn't doing my job by sitting there talking with her. I should be out here, protecting her from the people who were trying to harm her. I wouldn't let it happen.

**sorry for the shortness of this chapter, something came up to cut it short but I really wanted to get this out for you guys, so i apologize again. Suggestions, comments, concerns anything is encouraged. (:**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

I tried to scoot away as far as possible from the smirking Uchiha. If I could, I would slap that playful smirk off his stupid, perfectly angled face. He wasn't looking at me, but I continued to glare at him from above my water, hoping that at any moment he may burst into flames. I had other things I could preoccupy myself with… like seeing if Itachi was there. He hadn't come in my room to speak to me in three days but I still couldn't fall asleep until two, and last night four. I constantly worried that I had offended him in some way. Had I said something wrong? I wanted to ask Sasuke, but there was no way in hell I was going to speak to him first, especially after he took me _here. _

I took a second look at my surroundings. Mostly racers and grease monkeys like the Hawk, all talking and laughing and sharing drinks, most likely alcoholic. I looked over at Sasuke. He was talking to Karin, who had her body half pressed up against him, a seductive grin on her lips. Sasuke didn't seem to notice her obvious flirtatious behavior, but I doubted things like that got through Sasuke's thick skull. Suigetsu looked at me and grinned but I pursed my lips, crossed my arms and looked away. He snorted and continued talking to Jugo, who I noticed had quite the bipolar streak.

The booth all five of us were crammed in seemed to be getting smaller and smaller the longer I sat there. I knew that Sasuke had to watch over me, but I rather him continue his activities while I wasn't there.

_"Sasuke, where are we going?" I called to the raven haired boy I was holding onto. He didn't answer, and I groaned. We'd passed my street, and were heading into the downtown area. I was getting tired of his detours. I looked behind and noticed Karin driving her Cobalt, Jugo sitting silently stoic next to her._

_ "We're going to Hamatsu's, Sakura-chan!" Suigetsu had called from his motorcycle after he had pulled up next to us. Hamatsu's?_

_ "A bar?" I called back, my forehead creasing with my frown. "Why?"_

_ "For fun!" he called back, but I wasn't sure as Sasuke sped up and the wind blotted out all sound. _

"Oh, cheer up, Sakura what else would you be doing on a Friday night?" I heard Karin call from across the table. I could tell the redhead didn't care for me much, but I couldn't say that I minded very much. She was way to loud for my taste; Sasuke seemed to agree because he shot her a look. The bar had turned on Blink-182—more like blasted it and I had unknowingly begun to tap my fingers with the beat. "Sasuke thought you might enjoy something other than being cooped up in your—ow!" Karin was cut off by Sasuke elbowing her in the side. Karin looked at him with a pout on her lips and he closed his eyes, crossed his arms and leaned back against his seat. I looked at him questioningly but he refused to make eye contact with me.

Was this Sasuke's attempt at trying to earn my forgiveness? I hoped for it but I strongly doubted it. I doubted Sasuke cared that much. A country western song came on and Suigetsu perked up. "Hey, Sakura-chan, you want to dance?" he asked, getting up from his seat. A cold panic rushed through me. Dance? My mind blanked, and I felt like I was walking along in a dreamlike state as Suigetsu pulled me from the seat and dragged me to the dance floor. No one was on the dance floor—the scuffed up wooden stretch of floor was completely empty of people. All I could think of to get my mind off what I was sure was to be pure embarrassment in a few minutes was that it was strange that a Country song was being played in a biker bar in the middle of Japan…My whole body tensed as my school shoes clicked against the wood. I realized I was clutching onto Suigetsu's hand for dear life, but if it hurt him he didn't seem to mind.

"I—I can't!" I said, beginning to pull away from the dance floor. "I can't dance! I have two left feet, I'm clumsy, I—"

"Shut up, Sakura." Suigetsu said with a grin on his face. "You don't have to be a good dancer, the man is supposed to be." He grabbed my right hand in his, placing his other hand on my waist. I began to hyperventilate.

"W—what about my left hand?" I squeaked. All I could think of was how much I wanted to leave. I could feel sweat on my neck and my hand get clammy against his. I couldn't do this! In front of all these people? Suigetsu smiled and placed my left hand on his right shoulder.

"Don't worry about it! Just let me lead!" Suigetsu moved his left foot up and I followed with my right. He stepped up with his left, then moved slightly back with his right. I followed with my right and left feet. We repeated this step a few more times, and I was finally catching onto the rhythm. "See, Sakura-chan! You're doing the two-step." I looked at my feet and then up to Suigetsu and smiled. "Okay, I'm going to throw you a curve ball!" he yelled above the music and my eyes grew wide as he let go of my waist, taking my hand and spinning me around. He spun under my arm and grabbed my right hand with his right, spinning me faster and then grabbing my left hand with his left, my back pressed up against his body as we walked forward. "Do you trust me?" He yelled and I was about to scream 'no' when I felt my whole body being thrust forward. I screeched as my nose almost his the ground but all of a sudden my arms were jerked forward and I was spun to facing the ceiling, Suigetsu's hand firmly on my back. Suigetsu pulled me back up, and I landed against him, my right hand back in his left and my left hand grabbing desperately at his shirt.

"You idiot!" I yelled, hitting him, but it wasn't very hard and I realized I was laughing as he led me around the dance floor again. The song soon ended and as I headed for the booth, I noticed a majority of the bar was watching us dance. A blush crept up from my toes and spread to my cheeks. Suigetsu and I simultaneously plopped down into the booth. I immediately clasped my hands together and stared at them furiously.

"Wow, Suigetsu, I didn't realize what a great dancer you were." Karin said, an expression of new respect on her face.

He shrugged. "Lived in the States for a couple years." He said simply, but there was a smugness in the grin on his face. Sakura snuck a look at Sasuke. He was sitting stony faced, very intent on staring at the straw in his glass.

"Do you want to dance, Sasuke-kun?" Karin asked, eyes bright with hope, hands clasped together under her chin.

"Hn." Was his simple reply and she flopped dejectedly onto the back of the booth, huffing her disapproval. Jugo looked over at her, opened his mouth to say something, and then closed it again. He suddenly looked angry and pushed Suigetsu out of the booth, walking determinedly toward the bar to get something else to drink. Suigetsu gave him a dirty look, but righted himself and sat in the booth again. The four of us sat in silence, everyone looking in different directions with the exception of Suigetsu, who I kept catching looking at me. I simply avoided his gaze, not wanting to get caught up in dancing again—no matter how good he was.

A club song came on and people started entering the dance floor. I looked outside. It was dark. I hadn't realized how long we'd been here. Suigetsu recognized someone he knew and walked over to speak with them. Karin looked over at Sasuke once more before sighing and joining Jugo over at the bar. Crap. I picked up my straw and swirled it around in my water, avoiding looking at Sasuke at all costs.

"You know, it is your fault that you ran off at the car show," Sasuke began, uncrossing his arms to pick at the hem of his cargo shorts. I raised an eyebrow in disgust.

"What? You're making this my fault? If I hadn't been at the car show in the first place none of that would have had to happen anyway!"

"Yeah but it would have been fun and perfectly fine if you just stayed by my side," he began, looking at me. "and hadn't run off with _Gary_ or whatever the hell his name was."

"It was _Gaara_…and he seemed to have more concern for me than you did. You had to run off with that lovely girl Ino who just had so much interest in my past. Did it ever occur to you that I just didn't want to talk about that? Or maybe I had other things to do besides go and look at stupid cars?"

"Well it seemed like you were perfectly content when Itachi showed up in his car…" Sasuke mumbled, but I still heard him.

"What are you implying?" I asked, my heartbeat fluttering at the mention of his name.

"I saw your face when he helped you in the car…you loved it!" he asserted. My mouth gaped open at his accusation.

"Th-that is completely untrue! I was just surprised that an Uchiha could have such manners! In comparison to you, who always throws me on the back of a motorbike when I have skirts on and who drags me to places like this against my will!" my voice was gaining volume and the people at the next table over looked over.

Sasuke looked away from me, crossing his arms again. I imitated him, looking out towards the dance floor. All the dancers were pressed up against as close as they could, grinding against each other. The song ended and a slower song came on. Most of the people left the floor, some irritated that their sexcapade had to end because of the slow song. Many couples stayed to dance, arms around necks and hands on hips. I much preferred having to look at this than the orgy a few moments before. I dug in my bag and found the small silver object I had been looking for. I paused after I opened it up. Should I text him? I wanted to so badly.

"At Hamatsu's. I know it's an inconvenience but can you please pick me up?" I chose Itachi's contact number and pressed send. I yelped as I was pushed out of the booth. I gained my balance and stood up.

"What the he—" I began as Sasuke stood up. He grabbed my hand and I realized we were heading towards the dance floor. I began to resist, but it was as if I wasn't even pulling back at all. Sasuke just kept walking. Not again!

Sasuke walked to the back corner of the dance floor and turned to face me. I gulped in anticipation. Was he expecting me to get as close to him as the other couples on the floor? Why was he even dancing with me after I bitched him out? He took my right hand in his, placing his other hand on the middle of my side. I hesitantly put my hand on his shoulder. He walked forward with his left and I stepped back with my right. The way he danced was very commanding, but compared to the forceful, rough Sasuke who dragged me over here, this Sasuke was very gentle. He moved to the side and I followed. I tried to follow him as well as I could, but it took a while to fall into a rhythm with him. Once I thought I could handle dancing without looking at my feet I looked up and accidently looked straight into Sasuke's eyes. They were looking at me with a very confused expression. His eyes trailed down to my lips and he smirked. I began to feel self conscious…was there something on my chin?

"What?" I asked him in an irked tone, resorting to anger because I wasn't sure what other emotion I was supposed to show in front of the irksome Uchiha. He opened his mouth to respond but then he looked behind me and his face contorted into a scowl.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, stopping the dance we had finally gotten into rhythm with. I looked behind me and saw Itachi standing there, a straight look on his face as he glanced down at me and then back to his brother.

"I'm not quite sure." Was his simple response. "I thought Sakura needed a ride home."

"Well, she's fine. She doesn't need you popping up everywhere offering to take her home. She can stay out, I'm here." Sasuke said, clearly irritated. Many of the girls in the room were staring at Itachi with smiles on their faces. It made my face warp into a frown as well.

"Um, actually Sasuke-kun…I asked him to come get me." I said quietly. Sasuke looked at me then backed up. He looked at me with a hard look on his face then began to stalk off toward Karin and the rest of the gang.

"Fine, then." He mumbled as he passed. I wasn't sure why my stomach dropped with guilt. It wasn't my fault he pissed me off enough to make me want to go home…

"Are you wanting to stay, Sakura-chan?" Itachi asked and I shook my head. I kept it down as I made my way toward the exit, Itachi following silently behind me. I regretted making Itachi pick me up. I had caused a fight with Sasuke and if he didn't want to talk to me I had just forced myself into a very awkward ride home in a very closed-space car. The sound of LMFAO drifted into the background as we walked outside. I stopped when I realized I had no idea where I was supposed to be going.

Itachi stopped in front of a sleek, scarlet motorbike. Of course. I would have to wrap my arms around him but there left little room for conversation. I bet he did that on purpose. He handed me a black helmet and swung his leg around the bike to mount it. I grabbed my skirt to adjust it before I got on the bike when Itachi reached into the bike's side pouch and pulled out a pair of jeans. I stared at them and then looked at him, but he had his helmet on with the visor down. I took them and began to unfold them.

"Thank you." I whispered to him and he turned around to face forward. I slipped them on under my skirt, and then took my skirt off. I swung my leg over and grabbed onto Itachi's torso. He kicked off the curb and entered the street's traffic. He was a much safer driver than Sasuke, but the Uchiha boys definitely liked speed. I clasped him a little tighter and moved my head to the side to lean my forehead against his back. I would have traded anything to be able to take my helmet off and place my cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt. Maybe some of his creeper-ness was rubbing off on me…

Itachi gently glided into the driveway, pulling up to the front of the house. He sat with the engine running, waiting for me to get off. I slid off and grabbed my skirt, unhooking the helmet and taking it off. I shook my hair out and hugged the helmet to my chest. Itachi looked over at me and held out his hand to take the helmet, but I squeezed it tighter to my chest, looking at his hand and refusing to look at his helmet. I wanted to see his face. I wanted him to talk to me. Seeing that he wasn't getting his helmet back, he put his arm down and revved his engine, lifting his foot to leave.

"Itachi!" I cried before he got too far, and he set his foot back down. The helmet looked back over in my direction. He wouldn't even take off the damn helmet to talk to me. Something snapped. He was going to talk to me, and he was going to like it. "Why are you ignoring me?" I wanted to add 'what did I do?' but I didn't think that saying something along those lines would enforce my determined attitude. The helmet kept looking in my direction, and he still made no move to take it off. I stood there staring at his faceless body, the silent moments stretching out forever. I was preparing myself to chuck the helmet at his head and run inside when I heard a sigh in the helmet, and his hands reached up to unhook the clasp. It was just a sigh, but it was the most beautiful noise I'd heard since he spoke at the bar. The helmet slipped off his head, and his obsidian eyes focused in on mine. I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

"I am not ignoring you, Sakura." He said the words with sincerity, but I didn't believe them. I didn't know if I was more irritated at the fact that he really was ignoring me, or the way I felt after hearing him say my name. My fingers clasped the helmet, my knuckles paling. "I was very unprofessional the other night. I was more immersed in our conversation than I should have been, and if someone had come to harm you I wasn't as mentally and physically prepared as I should have been. Therefore, I would like to apologize to you."

"Well maybe I don't care if you're being professional or not!" I hissed, crossing my arms around the helmet. I knew I was throwing a tantrum like a three year old, but I didn't care. "I miss talking to you…" I whispered under my breath, and I looked away from his face. I didn't want to look at him. I hadn't meant to say the last part aloud.

"I'm sorry," he said moved the straps of the helmet to put them back on again.

"I just don't understand…your brother acts unprofessional all the time and he still manages to—"

"Take you to a car show that has shootings? Take you to a bar and dance with you without noticing anything in the room but you? Anyone of those people could have been someone the Hyuugas hired to hurt you. I was standing there quite a while before he even noticed me. I worry about you constantly when you're with my brother because he is so unprofessional."

I didn't know what to say. Itachi just said he was worried about me. My stomach fluttered and the corners of my mouth kept tugging up, begging my lips to form a smile but I refused to let them—I still had a point to make.

"But I just don't understand, we spent weeks talking. The only time you've ever complained about being unprofessional is after we started talking about your past." I noticed Itachi's fingers clench around his helmet from my peripheral vision. "I'm sorry that I butted into your personal life, that wasn't right for me to do even if this wasn't a bodyguard situation." I swallowed hard. I couldn't believe I had resorted to this. Begging someone to talk to me. Something drew me to Itachi that I couldn't explain. I needed him to talk to me, to relate with me, to make me feel less alone. "Just please, keep talking to me," I whispered. He looked at me with a look in his eyes that I couldn't pin down.

"I'm sorry," he said again, breaking eye contact with me.

"Why? I wish you had told me that you wanted to keep this relationship professional before you even talked to me! I thought you were someone I could trust who would listen to me!" I cried. He continued to study his bike, simply taking the words I threw at him. "Are you angry with me because you could be doing anything else other than having to babysit a girl like me?" I asked. "I know Sasuke feels that way."

"No, Sakura. That's not it," he told me, eyes flashing as he looked back up at me. "Stop assuming things."

"Well that's what I have to do because you just won't tell me why you won't talk to me!" I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to fight with him. Tired. I was tired of begging him to talk to me. I thought back to the past few nights. Sleepless because all I could think of was how he was out there. So close, so far away. I couldn't do this anymore. My breathing became more shallow. He was speaking to me, but all I saw were his beautiful lips moving, pressing each other with each syllable he uttered, taunting me.

"If it's such a hassle for you, just quit," I began. The words he spoke died on his tongue. "No, I'm releasing you of your duty." I said, avoiding eye contact with him. "After tonight, I would like someone else to watch during nights." I slowly walked over and gently placed the helmet on the back of his seat. He was so close. I could reach out and touch him. "Thank you for everything," I whispered and walked to my door, unlocking the door. I took the key out and turned around. Itachi was gone. My face was warm and wet but I continued through the door, shutting the door tenderly behind me.

I opened my eyes for the millionth time. Everytime my eyes were drawn to the bumps in my ceiling that looked like the tall silhouette of Itachi. I knew to anyone else they would be bumps on a ceiling. My hand wondered to my old cell phone. I desperately wanted to call and talk to Naruto, but I couldn't bring myself to. He wasn't happy with me lately and if I called him now, I felt that in some small way I was using him. Just calling him because Itachi wouldn't talk to me. I knew that Naruto would forgive me, that he'd talk to me because he was just so forgiving and naïve like that. I glanced over at the clock. 3 'o'clock. I sighed, burying my head under my sheets. He was out there. I could get up and apologize for what I said, take it back. But even then he still wouldn't talk to me. It wouldn't make a difference.

The next time I opened my eyes, heavy light shone through my window. I glanced at the green fluorescence next to me and noted that it was nearly two in the afternoon. I didn't feel like getting up, but I knew that I didn't want to waste my day either. Someone knocked on my door.

"Sakura-chan?" Tsunade walked through my door. She leaned against the doorway with her arms crossed and flashed a grin at me. I sat up, my hands in my lap and smiled back at her. "I'm back from my Thailand trip!"

"You've been gone so much lately…how's your health?" I asked. "Not drinking too much sake, right?" She pursed her lips.

"Sakura, how long have you known me? Of course I drunk sake. Still going strong with my no gambling promise though." She said, winking. I smiled and was surprised to feel a tear run down my cheek. "Hey, Sakura, what's wrong?" Tsunade crossed the room and set on the edge of my bed, rubbing my arm. I swiped the tear away but another followed.

"I miss you," I finally said, placing my forehead on her shoulder. Isn't it funny how seeing a motherly face can make your emotions go haywire. She patted my back.

"Well let's go do something fun today. We'll take Shizune, eh? And what about Naruto, I haven't seen that kid in a while." I shook my head.

"Naruto and I aren't speaking." Tsunade's eyes flashed.

"Did that brat do something to you?" I shook my head again, smiling.

"No, just a spat is all. We'll get over it." She didn't look convinced, even a little suspicious but she shrugged and let it go.

"Alright, I'll have to trust you on that one."

"I thought you said she only had one drink!" Shizune cried over to me from the other side of Tsunade. I tried to look over at her, but Tsunade's enormous chest was blocking my view.

"It's the—" Tsunade hiccupped. "EYE OF THE TIGER, yeah it's the thrill of the FIGH' risin' UP to the challenge of our rivals, yeah! Guitar solo, hit it Shizune!" Tsuande sung at the top of her lungs.

"Shh, Tsunade-sama we're going to get complaints from the neighbors!" Shizune said, sweat arising on her brow.

"Oh, come on you only live once you guys! Gotta make it count! Screw the neighbors they never let me borrow that damn egg anyway…"Tsunade mumbled as Shizune and I placed her gently onto her bed. She was instantly asleep, mumbling and snoring. I shook my head and looked over to notice Shizune doing the same. We smiled and exited the room. I walked her to the door.

"Thanks for tagging along and helping me get her home, Shizune-san." I said, nodding my head in thanks. She smiled.

"It was nothing, Sakura, thank you for being more mature than your shishou…" she said, sighing and shaking her head again.

"Goodnight." We said at the same time. I watched her get into the cab, waved and shut the door. What a night. I could still hear Tsunade's mumbles from the front hallway. Thank god I couldn't hear them from my room upstairs.

I sluggishly made my way upstairs and stumbled into my bathroom, turning the water to hot. I needed the steam and the warmth and the pelting water pressure to ease away my stress and calm me down so I could possibly get to bed at a decent hour. I stayed under the running water until it turned cold and stepped out. I inhaled the smell of my bathroom. I loved the smell of my room after a shower. It smelled like my coconut shampoo and my cherry blossom soap. I scrubbed my head with an extra towel and then wrapped myself in it, flipping my hair over and grabbing my hairdryer. I ran my fingers through my rosette mop, finally content with my mostly dry yet slightly damp hair. It seemed to retain more of the yummy coconut smell if I kept it damp.

I turned my dryer off and ran a brush through my hair, catching my reflection in the mirror. I rarely looked in mirrors, because I didn't particularly care for the girl who stared back at me. Pink locks in layers ran to her shoulders. Teal eyes stared up from deep set eyes over high cheekbones and unfortunately under a wide forehead. I could settle with cute but I wouldn't call myself beautiful or gorgeous…even pretty seemed a stretch. I sighed and turned off the light.

I entered my room. I began to shiver. How odd, I usually kept it at a warm temperature. I wound the towel tighter against my body. I walked over to my set of drawers and opened the top one. I sighed again. The only pair I had clean was the black, lacy rubber band type that Temari had gotten me as a joke once. Alwell, that's what I get for not giving my laundry to Aizu on time. I slipped them on underneath my towel and then grabbed the matching bra. Might as well, it was Sunday tomorrow anyway. No school. I let my towel pool at my feet on the floor and I snapped the straps of the bra onto my shoulders. I closed the drawer and turned around to walk to my closet and was startled by a dark figure standing in front of me.

"Hello, Sakura-chan," a deep, mocking voice whispered in the darkness, lined with mockery. I couldn't see who it was or what he looked like, just his silhouette. I gasped to scream but nothing escaped. I rushed for the door but he grabbed my arm, throwing me on my bed. I began crawling away but he grabbed my ankle, pulling me onto my stomach. He flipped me over, towering over me. His knee was between my legs and with one hand he held both of my hands over my head. I closed my eyes and turned my head away slightly. My lip trembled and I whimpered.

"Look at me," he whispered and I slowly and reluctantly opened my eyes. The moonlight shown on his face and I saw dark scarlet eyes. My eyes grew wider as I stared into them, but when I blinked they had turned dark. The face of my attacker was quite beautiful, gorgeous even. He had very feminine features but the way he contorted them made them very masculine. He had a smile on his face that sent a violent shiver down my spine and gooseflesh spread over my skin. He noticed my reaction and his smile deepened.

His free hand grabbed my face, his thumb tracing my trembling bottom lip. He bit his bottom lip as he watched my whole body shiver in response. I wanted to close my eyes again but I was afraid he would force me to open them again. Who was he? What was he going to do to me? Was he a Hyuuga?

His hand left my face and trailed down my side, his thumb padded my breast and I could feel it travelling down my side.

"So you're the girl who has all the Uchiha boys flustered lately," he breathed, another smile playing on his lips. I could tell he enjoyed making me squirm, my shallow breathing making my chest rise and fall rapidly. His long hair tickled my bare skin, and I writhed under him. "I can see why…you do look particularly delectable." He sneered, licking his lips. He had domineering canines that made me quiver even more. A single tear escaped my eye and travelled down my cheek.

"Aw, Sakura…do I scare you?" he asked, gripping my hip roughly as he leaned down to my face. I closed my eyes as a soft, wet tongue traced his way up my cheek to lick away my tear. "Don't cry…" he teased, "I won't hurt you." He sighed and let go of me, standing up above me. "I wouldn't want to get in trouble with Fugaku-ojisama."

Fugaku…where had I heard that name? Fugaku…It dawned on me. Uchiha Fugaku. Itachi and Sasuke's father.

"I just wanted to introduce myself in a way you'd never forget." He said, smiling as he grabbed my knee and leaned over me again. "I'm Uchiha Madara, Itachi's replacement."

**Well. There you have it! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter! Some part I'm not satisfied with and if you have any suggestions for me then feel free to talk to me. When writing the Madara parts I listened to 'Closer' by Nine Inch Nails. Rather gives it a sexy dangerous feel to listen to it when reading, if you ask me. I've always loved Madara's character since I saw Lily's drawings...so beautiful! She makes Itachi into one of the sexiest beings alive. Look up Lily's art on youtube...mmm. Anyway, college has begun for me so cranking out this chapter was a challenge, especially since it's been so hectic around here lately. Poor Damaged hasn't been getting any new chapters lately, either...maybe I should go write for Damaged? It's nearing the end, and I don't want to leave my Damaged readers hanging! Well, love you all and be prepared for the next chapter...can't wait to write it.**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

I lay silently on my comforter, my heart still beating erratically as Madara made his way over to the window. _He_ was an Uchiha? This is whom they sent to replace Itachi? Was sending _him_ Itachi's punishment for my firing him? I heard Madara's footfalls on the windowsill.

"Oh, and by the way. Stay away from Itachi." Madara remarked in a snide voice and then he was gone. I knew a normal girl would have started crying. No man had ever touched me as much as he just had. Then again, I wasn't really a normal girl and figured that worse things had happened to me. I reacted with anger. I sat up quickly, fingers clenching into straining fists. I raced over to the window. Placing my hands firmly on the sill, I stuck my head out. I couldn't see him, but I knew he was there.

"Asshole!" I called before slamming and locking my window. I'm sure he could still get in if he wanted to, but I wasn't going to make it easy for him.

"What do you mean we have a quiz in chemistry? Over what?" I cried incredulously. Sasuke shrugged from the driver's side of the car. I knew he was still bitter about Friday night based on his stony face, an eyebrow perked in an irritated fashion. I bet he handpicked the perverted cousin to replace Itachi. He really needed to get over his revenge/anger complex. Besides, there were things that were more important such as the fact that I had a chemistry quiz in t-minus two hours.

It was Friday; a whole week from the incident at the bar. The week went by without any more visits from Madara, but none from Itachi either. I yearned to talk to him, to ask him to come back, but I figured I shouldn't after what I'd said to him a week ago.

The rain beat heavily on the windshield as I waited for the Uchiha's response. My lips puckered as I realized he wouldn't be talking to me today. He shouldn't have brought it up, then… I gripped my skirt tightly and looked crossly out of the window. Two could play at this childish game. I wished I could see a few feet past the car but the rain was too heavy. We pulled into a parking space and Sasuke killed the engine. He pulled an umbrella from his school bag and opened the car door.

"Oh good, you brought an umbrella." I said, opening my door and stepping outside. Sasuke shut and locked the car doors. I had my bag over my head, waiting for him to walk around. He began walking to the school at a fast clip. Oh my god. He was not leaving me out in the rain. Apparently so. I mumbled profanities under my breath as I began a light sprint to catch up, but the damn cockatoo was too quick. The rain suddenly stopped it's torturous pelting. My gaze turned skywards to notice an umbrella sheltering me. I looked to my right and stared into a set of pale blue eyes. They were piercing and quite honestly, rather creepy. "Thank you." I said, dropping my book bag from over my head.

"You're quite welcome." The boy said with a smile, but it was void of emotion. He had long brown hair that failed to cover a green tribal-looking tattoo on his forehead. He wore a white button down and khaki shorts…very sophisticated for a public school. In fact, he had a classy air to him that didn't seem to belong here at all. I felt insignificantly immature. I'd never seen him before, but it wasn't uncommon in a school of almost three thousand. We reached the front of the school and he closed his umbrella, leaving it in a pile of other umbrellas. We walked inside and he made his way toward the attendance office.

"Er…thanks again!" I called and he nodded towards me as he entered the office. I gave his back one final look as I continued down the hall towards my first period. What a nice kid. At least, in comparison to one spiky haired Uchiha that was going to get it in a few seconds.

I walked through the door of the classroom, scanning for any trace of dark hair but my eyes connected with a pair of blue eyes. Naruto looked at me with a strange glint in his eye, his face twisted into an expression that appeared…disappointed. Should I say something to him? I made a beeline toward him and he perked up a little until I saw my prey get up to sharpen a pencil. He walked in front of me and I grabbed his arm.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I hissed at him and he shrugged my arm off to continue walking. I felt a flush grace my cheeks and I gritted my teeth. I looked over to Naruto once more but he wasn't looking at me anymore. Temari was, but when our eyes met she turned around to continue talking to Kiba. I sighed and took my seat behind her. I felt so terribly alone. Temari said something about going to the movies to see the new Yukie Fujikaze movie. I took in a deep breath.

"The one where she's the leader of a coup de etat?" Temari looked to look at me, as well as the rest of the group. "That looks really good; I liked the trailer for it when we went to see that Lost Tower movie." No one spoke, they simply stared at me. I slumped down in my seat a little.

"Alright, students, settle down and get your things out we're about to start." Iruka-sensei called from the front of the room. Everyone turned around to face the front, but Naruto smiled at me before turning around as well. At least Naruto was forgiving. I should have guessed it would have taken longer to gain back Temari's loyalty; she always dragged things out. I had to admit, though, I hadn't been the best friend lately. I really had no choice however; the Hawk didn't clash well with my group of friends and I had to be with the Hawk at all times.

_Stupid Hyuugas. Threatening my life and now they've indirectly cost me my friends. If I ever meet one of them, I swear I will give them a good punch to the jugular._

"Class, we have a new student. He's transferring from Azabu High School." A flurry of muttering began. Azabu was one of the most expensive, high-end private schools in the area. A dark headed figure entered the room. The boy with the umbrella! I waved at him, but he kept facing forward with no reaction. I looked around me, noticing the only empty seat was next to me. Maybe he could be a friend? I seemed to be lacking those lately.

"May I present Hyuuga Neji."

Well shit.

The whole class period, I was drenched in a cold sweat. I kept peering at Neji from the corner of my eye. How did Sasuke react? I wanted to turn around to look at him, but that would mean looking at Hyuuga directly. I tried to pick up my pencil to take notes but my hands were so sweaty the pencil kept slipping every which way and my paper looked as if I had an epileptic episode in the middle of writing. I kept looking at the clock impatiently. Was this class always so long? I packed up my belongings five minutes ahead of time. As soon as the bell rang I got out of my seat. I looked up just as Neji looked at me. _Crap! _

He opened his mouth to say something but I was soon swept away, a firm hand pressed against my back. I breathed a sigh of relief. I don't think I ever felt so much relief seeing this beautiful, arrogant bastard. Before I knew it, Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo had all congregated around me. Jugo looked stoic as always, Karin slightly annoyed, and Suigetsu estatic.

"So the Hyuugas finally make an appearance…I am so stoked. Do you think they're going to want to start something?" Suigetsu wondered, rolling his shoulders back and practically bouncing on his heels.

"I would hope not!" I whispered shrilly. Sasuke had his phone out and was talking to someone very quickly. So quickly, I couldn't manage to make out what he was saying. Many teachers and assistant principals passed, but none made an attempt to reprimand the Uchiha. Must be nice. He scoffed and slipped his phone back in his pocket.

"Alright, someone is to be with Sakura at all times; all of us if possible. I don't know what the damn Hyuuga wants, but I know him, he would never come to a public school like this one without a reason." Sasuke's eyes fixed on mine. "Everyone just keep an eye out, alright? And Sakura, no more wandering off and shit, okay?" My eyes narrowed.

"Fine. On one condition." I said, crossing my arms with determination. The Uchiha's eyes narrowed as well.

"These ground rules aren't conditional, Sakura."

"I want to be able to hang out with my friends again." I said it anyway. "If we could go to a bar and I'd still be 'safe' I'm sure we could go to the movies and I'd be just as secure." No one in the group looked too particularly happy. Especially Sasuke.

"Yeah, I figured. Because being in the same room with is so hard for you that you have to go call my brother." Sasuke muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rushing off to our next class. I sighed and followed him.

Luckily, I didn't see Neji the rest of the day. It seemed we only had first period together. Sasuke was being as impossible as ever. He refused to acknowledge me except to grumble that it was time to go home. I followed behind him, the rest of the gang following me. I looked outside and groaned. It was raining again. I hesitated outside before going out in the rain. Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo went ahead clearly unaffected by the rain as I was. Sasuke got out of his umbrella. I sighed and started walking out into the downpour, preparing to run when Sasuke's warm arm pressed against mine. I looked at him but he stared straight ahead, walking at a slow pace that matched mine. Suspicious.

He walked around to my side of the car with me and opened my door. Sketchy.

I got inside and he closed the door for me. Strange.

He entered the car after shaking off the umbrella and started the engine, turning the heater on. "Thanks," I mumbled before turning to stare outside. The rest of the car ride continued in similar fashion until he pulled up to my porch. I'd have to get in the rain again, but not for long.

"Sakura," Sasuke said as my hand touched the door handle. He avoided my eyes and began changing the radio station.

"We can go with your friends. To that movie." He said. My face lit up.

"Really?" I asked, a smile gracing my lips. He appeared to be acting nonchalant, but I could see a hint of smugness in his mannerism.

"Yeah," he scoffed. "But you're paying!" he called out to me as I rushed out of the car before he could change his mind.

"Okay! Bye!" I cried as I entered my house. I rushed up to my bedroom and grabbed my Mac. Naruto was unreliable when it came to answering calls and texts, but that boy was on a computer 24/7. I pulled up my Skype and logged on. I found Naruto's contact and pushed the green call button. It rang and my stomach dropped. What if he didn't want to talk to me? It rang again. This was odd; usually he picked up on the first ring. Third ring. My mouse hovered over the end call button. My mood fell when the window finally read 'Connected.' I smiled and switched to video chat. Naruto's face appeared on the screen.

"Hey stranger!" he said and I smiled. He hadn't said Sakura-chan, but it was enough. "Sorry, I was on Skype with Choji. What's up?" Of course. He had hung up with Choji to talk to me…Naruto was too sweet of a friend to me.

"Hi. I know that I haven't been the best of friends lately, but it's kinda been out of my control. So, I'm sorry." I said, but I already knew he'd forgiven me.

"It's cool, Sakura-chan! Everyone's missed you." After everything with Itachi and Sasuke and Madara, those few words cheered me up infinitely. I teared up, and was grateful for the pixilation that Skype provided so Naruto couldn't see.

"Listen, I heard Temari talking about that new movie coming out and I was wondering if you wanted to go with me. You know, like old times."

"Well, I'm kinda…already going with the group," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh," I said, slumping a little.

"But hey, you should come with us! It'd be great if everyone got to see you again!" I smiled at him.

"Okay! But…um, Sasuke is going to have to tag along." I said, cringing a little at his reaction: an intense frown. "I know, I'm sorry!"

"I don't get it…are you guys dating or something?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"No!" I yelled loudly and Naruto started. "Uh, no, Naruto our relationship is completely platonic…mostly leaning towards the slightly less than tolerable side. It's solely on Tsunade's orders."

"Well, I still don't get it but I trust ya, Sakura-chan." Naruto said. "Plus, you have to be there to share the sexiness that is Yukie Fujikaze. Damn, I'd hit that so hard…"

"Naruto! You pervert!" I screamed, hitting the screen for emphasis. He grinned back at me. I had definitely missed this.

Sasuke picked me up at exactly 6:15. How precise. It was weird to get ready without Temari; we would always meet up at my house before going out somewhere to do make up, hair and pick out outfits. I had done everything alone today, but I figured I looked just as good. I had curled my hair into waves that reached my shoulders. I French braided my bangs to the side and back. I didn't usually like to wear a lot of make up, but I had done thick winged liquid eyeliner and a bright neon pink that made my green eyes pop. For my outfit, I picked a black blouse that was fitted near the chest but was loosened after that. It didn't make me look pregnant, but it made me feel better about my stomach, which I tended to be insecure about. I had on light blue shorts with raggedy holes and gladiators. Not too fancy; we were just going to the movies. But if Temari decided to give me crap, I rather look good than the alternate.

I got in the car and Sasuke glanced me over before looking forward again and accelerating down the driveway. I looked through my purse to make sure I had my I.D. and money.

"Oh, shoot! Sasuke, I left my cell in my room!" I felt guilty. Was he going to get angry?

"You don't need it." He said, looking at me as if that would convince me. I sighed and sat further into the seat, staring out the window.

"You look nice," Sasuke mumbled. I glanced over at him, surprise gracing my features.

"Thanks." I said. We pulled into the movie theater parking lot, multiple people eyeing Sasuke's Corvette. I hated this much attention…but my group of friends definitely didn't miss us. Naruto waved, as did Kiba and Shikamaru. Temari, standing with Ten Ten, didn't wave but her mouth dropped open when she saw me with Sasuke. I felt a little self-satisfied. We parked and I ran up to the group, Sasuke following with his standard poker face on and his hands in his pocket.

"Hey, guys!" I said, smiling. Everyone smiled back. Temari, surprisingly, smiled back but I could tell she was hesitant about it. "So…have you gotten your tickets already?" Everyone held up a ticket.

"Okay, I'll go get ours." I said, but when I turned around Sasuke was walking back with two tickets in hand. "Sasuke," I whispered when he stood next to me. "I thought I was paying!" He handed me my ticket and shrugged.

"Don't worry about it." I took the ticket from his hand and looked back to the rest of the group. Naruto had an annoyed twitch in his eye and Temari was staring at me questioningly. Everyone started moving into the theater. Naruto took position on my left and Sasuke walked to my right. Sasuke didn't say a word and Naruto couldn't seem to say enough. Apparently he thought it was important to fill me in on every detail I missed when hanging out with the group. Kiba would jut in every once in a while to give commentary. I giggled; the pair was funny. We looked for seats in the theater, settling on the middle seats in the middle row. Shikamaru sat down and I sat next to him. Naruto sat to my right.

"Move over, that seat is mine." Sasuke said, towering over Naruto. Naruto replied with a noncompliant sneer and crossed arms.

"Says who? Find your own damn seat, bastard." Naruto retorted stubbornly.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath and moved down the aisle to sit next to Tsunade. Naruto got up, purposefully shoving into Sasuke before taking the seat to my left. Sasuke dropped roughly into the seat at my right, crossing his arms and slumping into the plush chair. I looked at him and shook my head. He avoided me.

Naruto and I continued to talk until the previews began. The movie started soon after. I looked at Naruto's enraptured, glazed stare at the screen and smiled. I looked to my right and Sasuke's bored expression from before had transformed into one of mild interest. I looked to the armrests on each side of me. Naruto had his arm on the one to the left of me, palm up. Sasuke's arm was positioned in a similar manner to my right. I sighed. I really wanted to put my arms up…

I stretched as we left the theater. What a good movie! I still had a grin on my face from the end of the movie. Naruto had teared up from the pure masculinity of the ending: comrades dying for the cause. Sasuke had ended up making fun of him, and another fight ensued. Sasuke was currently talking to Shikamaru about an aspect of the movie. It felt weird, having Sasuke talk to my friends but I was oddly not opposed to it. In fact, I rather liked it. It felt like two sides of my life were finally becoming one. We continued to talk outside the theater until Temari suggested grabbing something to eat. We ultimately decided on some FroYo.

"I'm going to get the car. You stay here with your friends and wait for me to pull around." Sasuke said, swinging his car keys around his finger. I nodded and continued to talk to Ten Ten. The Corvette pulled up to the curb and I made my way towards it.

"See you at FroYo!" I called and most the group waved to me. I got in the car and shut the door, grabbing for my seatbelt. The car sped off, accelerating violently. "Sasuke, what are you—" my breath caught in my throat as I looked at the driver.

"Neji." I choked out, leaning my body as close to the door as I could.

"Hello, Haruno-san," Neji said, glancing over at me, his eyes focusing on mine. How is it possible that I am this ignorant? How could I get into the wrong car? I looked in the side view mirror. Another Corvette was following. The right one. The one that I was supposed to be in with Sasuke. A cold fear spread from my head to my torso. Was I going to survive the night? Where was Neji taking me?

"W-what do you want with me, Neji?" I asked. I surprised myself; I hadn't expected it to come out quite as clear or strong.

"So rough, Haruno. I simply want to talk to you, nothing more." I gripped my skirt to stop myself from shaking. I didn't want to appear weak to him in any aspect.

"About what? Is it that important that you have resorted to kidnapping?" I asked sarcastically. I was playing dumb, but there was no possible way that I didn't know the Hyuuga's had a bounty out for my head. And he knew this. An empty smile graced his lips.

"I'm sure you're aware of certain…standings in our respective companies, Haruno-san." Neji jumped right into it. I hadn't been expecting polite conversation before we got around to the subject or anything but still. "My father's company is very interested in buying your company; whatever the risk." I shuddered at his last comment. "Tsunade-sama appears to be reluctant to sell and unfortunately that's where you come into play." I looked over at him and he returned my glance. "If anything were to…happen to you, it would make the consumption of your company into my father's company much easier. I don't know if you've realized, Haruno, but my father's company will one day be my company. Therefore, any endeavors the company wishes to accomplish I am also very interested in achieving. I don't have the luxury of…morals, either." I pressed myself further into the car door. This man was psychotic. The car stopped and I glanced around frantically. Where had he taken me? The building looked familiar and I was both relieved and horrified to realize that we were at my home. He knew where I lived. Did he drive me here on purpose to emphasize this fact? He killed the engine and stepped out of the car. I threw the car door open and stumbled out, car lights blinding me as Sasuke pulled in behind me. An arm enveloped me and I gasped as a familiar scent filled my nose as I was pressed up against his body. Itachi. He was here. He still cared.

"I had no intention of harming you tonight, Sakura. But be cautious if you decide to resist merging with my company."

"Shut up, Hyuuga and get the hell out." Sasuke said dangerously from the Corvette.

"I'm not sure what you've achieved by doing this, Hyuuga, but I think it'd be wise if you left." Itachi whispered darkly, eyes flashing.

"Ah, the Uchiha boys. It's been a while, Sasuke." Neji said, nodding towards Sasuke, who narrowed his eyes. "I see you've been hired to protect Haruno-san. I find that significantly ironic."

"What are you implying?" I asked, disgusted. My hand was knotted in the back of Itachi's shirt. It felt so good to be this close to him again.

"Oh, she doesn't know, Uchiha?" Neji asked, a sinister smirk gracing his lips. I didn't like this. What did I not know? "Well, Haruno-san, I find it ironic that the very people that have been ordered to protect you are potentially more dangerous for you than anything they may be defending you from."

"Shut it, Hyuuga, I swear to God…" Sasuke barked.

"I'll let you in on a little Uchiha secret that my family discovered a couple years ago." Itachi bent his knees in a slight crouch, eyes narrowed and focused on Neji. A low guttural growl escaped from his lips. He appeared to be positively livid.

"They are nothing more than killers." My eyes widened. "Blood sucking killers." My stomach contracted as images of my parents appeared in my mind. Blood everywhere. On me, my school clothes, the ground. The boy…

Neji got into his car, started the engine and drove away. My hand unwound itself from Itachi's shirt and I stepped back. I couldn't stand next to them. Blood sucking. What did he mean? Vampires? Bull shit. Even though I thought that, I couldn't stop thinking of Madara's elongated canines. Fangs. Red eyes. My breath kept catching as I looked from Itachi to Sasuke. I backed up against my front door, my lip wavering. Sasuke took a few steps toward me but Itachi stopped him with an outstretched arm, shaking his head.

I fumbled for the door knob, taking one last look at Itachi before scrambling into my house and shutting the door behind me, locking all the latches. Killers. _Blood sucking killers._

**Okay, I know, I know the vampire genre is getting _really_ old, I get it, trust me. However, when I started this story it wasn't and I intend to finish the story the way I envisioned it. So, please don't hate me! I intend to make this as least Twilight-esque as possible! Plus, no matter what you've got to get your Itachi/Sakura fix, right? So this story can at least help you there. I tried to get this story out ASAP which has been really difficult with college but I just love you THAT much. Haha well I recently updated my profile and betareader profile so you may check those out if you wish. As always, i love you and can't wait to hear what you have to say about this new chapter. I know a lot of you have been getting slightly irritated with the story because it's been very Sasu-Sakuy but i promise that this will get VERY Itasaku heavy soon because, again, i love you. **

**P.S: I went through the older chapters and did some MAJOR editing. Why did none of you tell me how utterly horrific it was! I am completely embarrassed at the number of plot holes, grammar issues and complete lack of competency. Maybe I really should get a betareader...any takers?**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

I heard a light knocking on my door.

"Sakura?" Tsunade whispered, and her head appeared in the doorway, trying to find my face in the darkness. The mattress shifted as she sat down on the edge of my bed. She began stroking my hair. "Oh, baby, you have a fever," she fussed and started rubbing my curved back. Another tear ran silently down my face. "Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you some tea or something?" I didn't answer her, but shook my head. Tsunade sighed and the mattress bounced up and down as she got up to leave. "Don't worry about school tomorrow, I'll call the attendance office. You just rest, okay?" The door shut and I curled into a tighter ball, clutching my queasy stomach.

The next time I opened my eyes it was dark outside. I closed my eyes so that sleep would wash over me again. When I slept I was numb and because I was sick, my sleeps were mostly dreamless. I lay there for what seemed an eternity but could not fall back asleep. My body was sick of it. I sat up dizzily and got out of bed. My legs were weak from days of not being used. I stumbled into my bathroom and opened my medicine cabinet. I grabbed the oxycodine I received after I had my wisdom teeth removed. It knocked me out, the one thing I wanted right now. I swallowed it, the usual bitter pill tasteless in my mouth.

I looked at myself in the mirror. A blank stare looked back at me. My hair was greasy and matted to my head, my nightgown wrinkled from many nights of tossing and turning. I turned my bath water on; I was too weak to stand and take a shower. I stripped my clothes off and lay down in the bathtub. It was so warm…I closed my eyes. The oxycodine was working, dragging me into darkness.

I was lying in my bed again, but I couldn't breathe. I looked around and noticed Itachi on top of me. He had pinned my arms down next to my head. His smell engulfed my senses, making it hard to focus. He was kissing up and down my neck and my body kept shuddering. I wanted to tell him to stop…but it felt too amazing. I opened my mouth but his lips found mine and the words died on my tongue. His lips pulled at my bottom lip and I gasped as he nibbled on them. He took advantage of this and his tongue slipped into my mouth, rolling around. A blush spread from my cheeks all the way down to my toes. A weird, hot sensation was radiating from deep in my stomach. I wanted more …I wanted him all over me. He kept kissing and kissing and I couldn't breathe. My lung screamed for air…Itachi had to stop or I was going to suffocate! I was suffocating…but I didn't care…

My eyes snapped open and I realized someone really had their lips on mine. I started heaving and I turned my head, water sputtering from my mouth. I coughed and breathed in, my body shuttering as air filled my lungs again. I flopped on my back, breathing rapidly as my body tried to calm itself. My hands were shaking by my sides. I felt really cold and I realized I was wet…and naked. And there was someone next to me. My eyes met maliciously smiling lips before they were staring into Madara's cold eyes. I gasped and sat up, my legs latching together in a death lock, my hands covering my chest.

"What-what are you doing here?" I growled at him. He stood up and grabbed the robe hanging from the back of my closet door and through it at me. I quickly wrapped it around me, tying it as tight as possible.

"Saving your life, you ungrateful child," Madara snarled. "You were drowning."

"You…you saved me?" A blush stained my cheeks red. How pathetic. As I lay dying, my thoughts were completely centered on Itachi. My stomach burned again as my hallucination resurfaced. How dirty my thoughts were…

"You…you saw me naked!" I diverted, pointing accusatorily at Madara who scoffed.

"I think you're missing the point completely," Madara scoffed. "Besides, I'm not interested in little girls."

"You seemed pretty interested the last time we met…" I muttered, pushing past him and Madara chuckled. I walked over to my chest of drawers and slipped underwear on under my robe. I grabbed a brush and sat on the edge of my bed, combing the tangles out of my hair. Madara walked to the window and leapt up onto the sill, turning around to give me a smirk.

"I heard you discovered the Uchiha family secret," Madara prompted and I knew he was teasing me. "Is that why you insist in not leaving your dreary room?" I closed my eyes to avoid looking at him and continued to brush my hair. Madara made to jump out.

"Madara," I called and he looked back at me. "Can you…can you tell me…more? About the Uchiha family?" A strange glint lit up Madara's eyes. He stepped down onto my floor again but sat on the sill. He crossed his legs, cupping his face in his palm.

"So, you won't answer any of my questions but I'm supposed to answer all of yours. Interesting." I rolled my eyes and sat my brush down on my bedside table. I lay down on my bed and rolled away to avoid looking at him. He laughed a dark yet resigning laugh. "Fine. This may give me an opportunity to scare you away from Itachi. What do you want to know?"

I rolled around to look at him again. "Are you really…" I hesitated.

"Vampires?" Madara grinned, flashing foreboding canines. "That's unfortunately true. Being vampires, we have such a bad rep nowadays… but it's had its uses in, let's say, 'inspiring' cooperation in other business competitors." Madara's eyes seemed to drift off into speculation, remembering some business venture I was glad I couldn't see too. He snapped back to attention, grinning at me. "But you humans have come up with such silly rumors about us. I'll go ahead and dispel them for you right now. Number one, garlic isn't going to make us shrivel up with fear." My mind drifted to Itachi cooking with it. "Number two, neither are crosses. You'd be surprised to know that many of us are quite religious. I've never had quite the zeal for it but I supposed I'm one of those pessimists who is thoroughly certain no God would curse his people with such an affliction as ours."

"Affliction?" the words escaped my mouth before I had time to even think about saying it.

"Yes, it can get rather tedious sometimes. Our hunger can be satiated but if we are the slightest bit hungry and surrounded by humans it can be very, very difficult to resist taking a taste. That is why Fugaku-ojisama demands Itachi, Sasuke and I to eat before we're with you. It's also difficult when you humans just make it so terribly easy. People are so naturally attracted to us and are very trustworthy, not realizing what they've caught themselves up in. That's what is intriguing about you…how easily you can disperse those feelings for Itachi and Sasuke."

I blushed…was he calling me brutish? My stomach dropped a little. Was the only reason I was attracted to Itachi because of the natural magnetism of his…condition? What was wrong with me? Even now, when I knew he was a vampire, that he was extremely dangerous I knew I was still attracted to him.

"I have to admit, I was a little disappointed when I met you. You submitted so easily to my touch. From the way Sasuke described you, I was expecting someone more troublesome," he smirked and his grin got wider when I made it a point to dramatically cover my body with my sheets.

"I did not…submit. You had me pinned to my bed!" I retorted, crossing my arms.

"Is that why you were shuddering and…moaning?" He asked, the right side of his mouth curling into a sneer.

"I was most certainly _not_ moaning!" I almost screamed and gasped as Madara disappeared and reappeared above me, on all fours, his face inches away from mine.

"Really? Was that the first time you've been touched like that?" He whispered. My stomach jumped. He mouth was getting closer and closer…my mind drifted to my dream of Itachi. The fire, his gentle lips touching my skin. I felt light headed as I stared at Madara's mouth coming closer to mine. Pleasure rocked through my body as I imagined Itachi touching me again…I wanted to feel like that again…I wanted…Itachi!

"NO!" I screamed and punched Madara in his jaw. I scrambled out from under him and crawled backwards away from him until my back was against my door. Madara sat cross-legged on my bed, massaging his chin.

"Interesting." Madara mumbled. "You rejected my Faze." I sat breathing heavily on the floor, my heart beating erratically as I tried to calm my racing mind. "Well, if I'd really wanted to kiss you I could have. Another beneficial trait is strength. Not super human, but we don't have to work for our power." I wanted to tell him to get out after he had advanced on me again, but I still had more questions.

"What about…food? I've seen Sasuke eat regular food before and drink soda. Don't vampires usually have a…stricter diet?" I gulped at the lump in my throat.

"Well, regular food will sustain us but only to a certain extent. I suppose you could say it's just another necessity. Humans can eat food all day but they also need water. Vampires can eat food and water but they also must drink blood. And the hunger for blood is different than hunger for food…much more powerful and thought consuming. I've seen vampires kill their loved ones in a fit of hunger." I winced a little.

"Can vampires die? And, if a human is bitten will they turn into…one of you?" I asked, my voice beginning to sound tinged with desperation.

"Yes and no. Vampires can die almost as easily as humans can. We heal faster and can actually grow back limbs, but if you cut off our heads it's over for us. We can also bleed to death if we are weak and can't heal fast enough. Vampires also die from old age. All that living-forever nonsense is ridiculous. We have blood that runs through our veins. As for…turning people into vampires, it's impossible. We don't have some magic venom that turns others into us. No one knows when the first vampire was born but the vampire gene is passed down through families, even if the mother or father is a human. Take, for example, Itachi and Sasuke's mother. She was…human." Madara's nose wrinkled at the thought, as if he were talking about something rather displeasing. I cleared my throat.

"Um…does it…hurt?" I asked hesitantly, subconsciously clasping my neck. "When you're bit?" After the words left my mouth, I regretted saying them. Madara's face twisted into a malicious smile and he leaned towards me.

"Oh, no. In fact, many people find it to be the highlight of their evening. You see, people have described it as 'orgasmic' before. Being bitten to some people is better than sex. We don't have venom that changes people's DNA to become vampiric, but we do release endorphins into the system that helps reduce the resistance from our victims. Would you like to experience it yourself?" Madara asked, a sly expression plastered on his face. I glared at him and he shrugged.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that kind of commitment from you, anyway." Madara said in a way that made it seem like he was brushing her off.

"What do you mean?" I asked, intrigued.

"Once a vampire bites someone, it's almost as if they…how should I say this? It's almost like they brand you as there's. Once you're bitten, no other vampire will touch you. Well, they could, but your blood would taste like dirt in their mouth. It's a territorial mark, you could say. Perhaps even an evolutional trait."

"Okay, so now I understand the whole vampire thing. But, why would Hyuuga tell me that the Uchihas are cold blooded killers? You don't actually go around murdering people ruthlessly, do you?" I asked, not wanting to know the answer but still curious. A flash from the memory of the young man standing over my parents made its way uncomfortably into my mind but I pushed it back. Itachi would never do anything like that.

"Hmm. Don't mention I told you this, but yes and no. The Uchiha have a special ops unit named the Akatsuki that are the Yakuza of sorts for the Uchiha clan. The behind the scenes operators and the doers of the dirty deeds, if you will. We won't go and randomly kill people but the Akatsuki are very helpful for getting things done. I'm a member, as are many of the contacts in that cell phone Itachi gave you. All of us are at your disposal, according to Fugaku-ojisama. Don't get me wrong when I say that, though…many of us aren't so gung ho about helping you as Itachi and Sasuke seem to be."

"Are Itachi and Sasuke part of the Akatsuki?" My voice quivered and I berated myself for it.

"Sasuke isn't. He hasn't…earned it yet. Itachi, on the other hand, the child prodigy, hasn't just been a part of it since he was 12. He's been the leader the past nine years."

I got up earlier than usual and walked down the stairs into the kitchen where Aizu was cooking eggs, and Tsunade was at the table with a newspaper in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. It smelled suspiciously like coffee spiked with Bailey's.

"Morning." I said and sat down across from Tsunade, throwing my book bag under the table.

"Well, look who's up and out of bed." Tsunade smiled, but she didn't seem surprised. "Are you feeling up to school today?"

"Yepp. Aizu, can you make a couple more eggs? I'm starved." My stomach growled as if on cue.

"I'm not surprised, you've been holed up in your room the past four days without any food at all," Aizu reprimanded me as she handed me a plate almost overflowing with eggs and toast. "You know, that Uchiha boy has been coming here every morning asking about you." Tsunade looked up at me from over her newspaper. My fork clattered onto my plate as I clumsily dropped it.

"Oh, really?" I asked, attempting to sound as uninterested as possible. "Which one?" I knew I shouldn't get my hopes up and I wasn't surprised with Aizu's answer.

"The younger one, Sousuke? Sasuke? The one in your class." I picked my fork back up and moved my eggs around the plate. I should have known it wouldn't be Itachi.

After hours of torturing myself with my own thoughts, I had come to the conclusion that I didn't care. I know I didn't know Itachi as well as I'd like, but I also knew he would never hurt me, he'd said so himself. I was also disappointed in myself because even though he was dangerous, even though I probably only liked him was because of his Faze or whatever Madara had tried to describe to me…I still was attracted to him. I still wanted to get to know him. And I feverishly hoped last night, in the corner of my mind where I dared not say it out loud…I probably wouldn't have minded if he 'branded' me, either.

I glanced up at the clock and jumped up out of my seat, grabbing my bag. "Tsunade, can you take me to school today?" I asked. The words had barely left my mouth when the doorbell rang. My heart leaped up into my throat. Aizu grinned slyly at me and practically skipped to the door.

"Yes?" I heard her voice echo in the doorway. I heard muffled voices and then Aizu called for me. "Sakura, Master Sasuke is here to see you!" Tsunade looked at me from above the newspaper again and nodded silently to go. I ran over and pecked her forehead. She waved me on, taking another sip of her alcohol-coffee.

I slung my backpack over my shoulders and took a deep breath as I rounded the corner to enter the entryway. Sasuke was leaning against the door frame but straightened up immediately when he saw me. He opened his mouth to say something but I strolled past him and started walking to the end of the porch, turning around to wave goodbye to Aizu.

"I brought the Corvette today," Sasuke said and opened the car door for me. I made eye contact with him; he looked really eager to please. I sighed and slid into the passenger seat, grabbing the car door and slamming it shut before he could close it for me. He walked over to his car door and hopped in, starting the car and pulling out of the circle parkway and onto the driveway. We got on the street and I noticed it was taking a long time to get to the stop sign. Was it possible? Was Sasuke going the speed limit? He was really trying to get on my good side.

"You, know, Sasuke…" I began, fervently glaring out the window, though I could feel his eyes looking at me. "I don't mind." The last part I almost whispered. I looked at him. "I know…I know I was scared when I first heard it from Hyuuga but, I figure you've had a lot of chances to harm me and you haven't. I'm sorry." Sasuke cleared his throat and refused to make eye contact with me. Was he…blushing? I couldn't contemplate it longer because, as soon as he knew he was okay with me, he sped off, leaving me to clutch onto the door and hope to God I was still alive when I got to school.

It was madness when Sasuke and I walked into first period. Naruto, Temari and Kiba immediately circled around me, asking questions about what had happened and if I was all right and who was it that picked me up. I nervously assured them that I was fine and I was just sick the past couple of days. Sasuke, clearly annoyed, yelled at them claiming he had already told all of them this and he didn't understand why they just hadn't believed him. I felt another pair of eyes on me and my gaze connected with that of Hyuuga Neji's. I drew my eyes away to reassure my friends, then made my way over to my sit. I avoided looking in Hyuuga's direction the rest of the class period, but as we left I was sure I saw Sasuke tip Hyuuga's desk so his belongings cascaded to the floor.

"Sakura, can I talk to you?" I looked up from my apple and saw Gaara looking at me, a calm stare blanketing his face. I nodded and Temari smirked, nudging Ten Ten who also gave a knowing glance to me. What were they so smug about? Neither Sasuke nor Naruto looked very happy that I was following Gaara.

"Should I come with you, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, standing up.

"Mind calling your guard dog off, Sakura-san?" Gaara asked eyes flashing with annoyance; so uncharacteristic of him. Suigetsu, Karin and Jugo stood up too, narrowing their gaze at Gaara. Sasuke made a growling noise under his breath and I shook my head, waving my hand at him to sit back down. It was just Gaara…

I followed him outside to the courtyard and couldn't help but notice Neji sitting by himself on a bench under a tree, eating out of a bento box. He didn't glance up to look at me, but I'm sure he knew I was there. He wouldn't try anything with all these other people around us, would he?

"Sakura, I was wondering if…you'd like to accompany me to a car show this Friday? It's in a much nicer neighborhood than the last one we went to and it's very professional, not like the one you went to with Sasuke." I smiled at him.

"Sure, Gaara! I'd love to…" I trailed off as I thought about Sasuke. He would never allow me to go by myself and I didn't want him to get in trouble again. "Oh, um, Sasuke would probably have to come with us. Is that a problem?"

"Yes, honestly," Gaara's irritated expression came back and it was rather frightening. "I'm—" he seemed to become frustrated. "I'm asking you to go alone, with me." I ran a hand through my hair. I wasn't sure if it was going to work out like that. I finally gave a defeated sigh and shrugged.

"Okay, I'll figure something out to shake off Sasuke." I said and smiled at him. He smirked a little and my heart leaped a bit. It really brought back memories of middle school when I still liked him.

"So, what's the plan for getting rid of Sasuke, again?" Temari asked as she rummaged around in my closet to find me something to wear. "And I can't believe you're going on a date with my _brother_…gross."

"Temari! It's not a date. We're going to a car show to look at cars. I'm probably like another guy to him." I said, pinning my hair up out of my face so I could brush some quick make up on.

"I don't think he sees it that way, babe. And with your looks I don't think _any_ man could view you as just 'one of the guys,'" she pulled out a blue dress, holding it out to me. "This one?"

"We're going to a car show…I'm sure shorts and a blouse will suffice. And come on, Temari. What about Naruto? We've known each other forever he's like my brother and I'm like a sister to him." I pointed out matter-of-factly, finished off my make up with a swipe of lip gloss.

"Oh, sweetheart if you think _Naruto_ views _you_ as a sister you've got to be more dense than I thought." I scoffed and grabbed the dress out of her hands, throwing it on my bed and grabbing a pair of shorts from my chest of drawers. "Fine, if you're not going to wear the dress at least wear this shirt. It's cute." She said, throwing me a loose shirt that was low-cut. I decided to wear it but keep my undershirt on. I heard a honk downstairs and looked at my cell.

"Oh, he's here. Okay, remember, Sasuke doesn't know I'm going out and if he calls, here's the phone he'll call on." I gave her the cell phone Itachi gave me. "Answer and pretend to be me. Tell him I'm staying in or something but under no circumstances should you tell him where we'll be, okay?" Temari nodded and took the cell phone. She flipped on my TV and grabbed the bowl of popcorn she had previously popped.

"You can't hang out, don't tell him where you're going, sit here and eat you out of house and home for covering for you. Got it." She said and waved to me as I rolled my eyes, grabbed my bag and went down the stairs two at a time to meet Gaara.

"I'm glad you could come out with me tonight." Gaara broke the minutes long silence I had been suffering under. I'd always known Gaara wasn't really a talker until it came to cars, but hell, we'd been in the car for what felt like ages and all he'd said to me was 'hello' when I got in the car. I know this was just a friends thing but he could at least talk to me a little…

"Yeah, it'll be nice to get out with someone other than Sasuke or…" my breath caught in my throat. I had almost said Itachi. My heart thumped painfully in my chest whenever I thought about him. "Naruto." I finished lamely.

"Why is Sasuke always following you around? Are you dating him?" I scoffed without meaning to.

"No! Why does everyone think that? Sasuke and I are not dating, we're barely friends. He's so irritating and thinks he can just control my life because he's my—" I almost slipped again! "Friend…" I continued, again, lamely. "Which is why it's so great to give him the slip like this and hang out with you!" I said, grinning at Gaara. He didn't smile back. I slumped in the seat. Gaara was gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were turning white. I hadn't noticed because I was trying to avoid the empty awkwardness, but Gaara looked very nervous.

"Hey, Gaara. Are you okay?" I asked, touching his arm. He shied away from my touch and I removed my hand.

"Sorry," he said, shifting gears after stopping. I realized that we had exited the highway and were turning right into a very woodsy area. Gaara had said that this was a professional car show, so I was expecting more lights or…cars or something.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around. We were driving slowly down a dirt road. Gaara remained silent. My stomach felt like someone was squeezing it with a cold iron hand. Icy foreboding made it's way from my chest to my fingertips. Maybe this dirt road was just a longer way to get to the car show.

"Are we…uh, taking a detour or something?" I asked, laughing nervously.

"They told me they'd hurt Temari if I didn't do what they said." Gaara said quietly. I looked at him, my eyes widening.

"Who?" My voice came out as a squeak. "Who told you that, Gaara?" I had edged as close to the car door as possible, my hand resting on the handle. A light appeared ahead and I glanced in front of the car. There were two sets of car lights pointing towards one another so it lit up a clearing. Four figures stood in front of the cars, but I couldn't tell who they were until Gaara pulled up. His car lights fell on the figure in front.

"Gaara," I whispered, my throat closing as it choked on rising panic. "Why?" I looked at Gaara with wide eyes and he looked at me, but then closed his eyes and looked away. I was pushed directly in front of Neji. The man forced me to my knees. I heard Gaara's car peel out and drive away.

"I warned you, Sakura-san." Neji said as he leaned down to get closer to me. His hand gripped my chin forcefully. "You didn't want to listen. Tsunade still refuses to merge." He looked at me expectantly but I pursed my lips in a defiant line, refusing to say anything. He growled and let out an exasperated snarl and, without warning, he drew his hand back and hit me. The surprise and sting made me yelp and Neji stood up, walking away with a sigh.

"I hadn't meant to hit you, Sakura-san, I'm sorry." He said, rubbing his hand. "Sakura-san I really don't want to hurt you but you're not giving me much to work with. I don't think you understand my position here. My uncle is expecting me to get this merger and I am not going to disappoint him. So, what is your answer."

"No." I responded and the man gripping my shoulders grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. I bit my lip and held back the scream that was trying to wriggle it's way past my lips. I wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. Neji waved his hand at me and began to walk to his car, lighting a cigarette and bringing it to his mouth as the third man came up and hit me in the cheek. Spots appeared before my eyes and I shook my head to clear them. The man behind me inched my arm up higher and sharp pain spread throughout my arm; I tried to escape it but all that happened was my face was pushed into the dirt. A yelp escaped my throat as a foot kicked my side and then again as I was suddenly pulled up off the ground by my hair.

Neji came and bent down again. He took a long drag from his cigarette and sighed it out, a ring of smoke framing my face. I coughed as I breathed some of it in. Every breath was torture, my sides sore from the kicking.

"Sakura-san, I only gave you a taste of the pain I can make you feel. Are you sure you don't have anything you want to say to me?"

"He will come for me." I whispered, keeping my eyes tightly closed. I was trying to convince myself more than Neji.

"Who? The Uchiha? That bloodsucker? I thought you would have lost your trust in him by now. Do you even know who your true friends are, Sakura-san? Gaara has left you to us, Temari has ensured that you will not be found, ironically, at your request. What are you to the Uchiha boys?" His voice filled with disdain as he muttered Uchiha. "You are a child who can't do anything except sit and wait around for people to come save you, hiding behind the Uchihas and that drunk, good for nothing Tsunade. You don't deserve the name Haruno and you are incompetent. This is the second time you've fallen into my hands in a week. You're too naïve, Sakura, especially to inherit a company like your inept parents. Now, why don't you be a good little girl and hand it over to the Hyuugas?"

Anger colored my vision. How dare he? I knew I was incompetent, I knew the Uchiha clan saw me as nothing but a burden. But how dare he insult my parents and the woman who raised me. I looked up at him through my eyelashes and smirked.

"Fuck you." I said, darkly and with all the strength I had left, pushed up off my knees and head butted Neji right between the eyes. My vision swam for quite a few moments but I noted, satisfactorily, that Neji was holding his head and groaning. My face hit the ground again and I prepared for the hits and kicks but none came.

"You!" Neji growled. I opened my eyes and looked around. The three Hyuuga body guards were all sprawled awkwardly around the field. Were they….dead? I sensed someone to my right. I looked over and my body physically relaxed. He was here.

Itachi was leaning over me, looking dangerously murderous in Neji's direction. Itachi didn't have to say anything; the hate radiating from his body frightened me and I wasn't even on the receiving end. Itachi stood up.

"You know that by harming this girl you have not solely provoked Haruno Co., but the whole Uchiha clan. I hope you have prepared yourself for the consequences."

Neji backed away and stormed off to his car. Before his car door had shut, he was speeding off into the woods. Itachi looked at me, but I was too ashamed to look at him. I let my head fall into my palms.

"Are you hurt?" Itachi asked in a soft voice, but I heard a sternness left over from his speech to Neji. I shook my head, but whenever he grabbed my side to pull me up, I hissed and collapsed on the ground again, holding my side. Itachi dropped his hands like I had electrocuted him. "I apologize." I sat up on my knees, clutching my stomach. It hurt as my torso began to shudder with sobs. Itachi leaned on one knee, awkwardly, which made me feel ten times more ridiculous.

"I—was—so—scared," I managed between hiccupping weeps. "The whole time—I wished you were here—the whole time…" Another round of sobs came over me and I decided my dignity was already gone; I wrapped my arms around his middle and buried my face in his shirt. "I'm sorry about what I said. Please, please come back to night duty."

Itachi grabbed my shoulders and stripped me off him. I sat back down on my haunches. Itachi's hands reached for my face. He hesitated, his hand hovering for a minute before his hands caressed my face. I closed my eyes and his thumbs ran themselves under my eyes, wiping away my tears. I opened my eyes again and he was so close. He dropped his hands and his onyx orbs bore into mine. I couldn't hold myself back and closed the distance between us, my lips capturing his.

Itachi's whole body stiffened and leaned away from me but I followed him. _Please don't run away from me. Please don't affirm my fears that I'm the only one that feels this way. Please, kiss me back._ He finally, very slowly, leaned back into the kiss. His hand found a way to the nape of my neck, pulling me in closer.

Was I dreaming? Maybe Neji's men had beaten me into unconsciousness and this was all a figment of my imagination. It felt so real though. Itachi pulled away and stared at me for a very long time. Headlights burst through into the clearing and Itachi almost leapt away from me.

"Holy shit," Sasuke came running to my side, followed by Jugo and Suigetsu. "We need to take her to an ER or something." Sasuke took my arm to help me up. I looked at Itachi who stared forward, refusing to make eye contact with me. My eyes welled up with tears and I grabbed onto Sasuke's shirt for leverage as he helped me up. Suigetsu took my other side as we made our way to Sasuke's Corvette. I never looked back to see if Itachi was still sitting there. I knew he'd be gone.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

I walked into my room my stomach flipping and hands shaking. What was happening to me? I couldn't stop thinking about how gently her lips touched mine and, even though I was surprised at first, how I wanted it more than anything. The image of her big green eyes looking up at me, pleading, flashed into my head. I could still feel her arms around me as she begged me to be with her. I grabbed the place on my shirt that she'd grabbed. It was still wrinkled.

How could I have been so stupid as to respond to her kiss? I sat down heavily on the edge of the four-poster bed. My hands came together and clenched. Little half moon indentions were left when my hands released each other so I could grab the sides of my face with my hands. She is a client. She is a client. She is a client. A smaller voice whispered mockingly in the back of my mind. She's a human. She's a human. You can't have these feelings for a childish human. You can't repeat your father's mistakes. You have to maintain your reputation in Akatsuki.

I still couldn't disperse my memories of her curled up in bed, her heavy lidded eyes watching me speak. Her bruised face, swollen and purple, the product of my inability to protect her. Anger sparked inside me as I thought of that irritating Hyuuga brat. Next time I saw him, I'd make him look worse than Sakura had. Her face swam into my head again, a small curve of mouth as she spoke and my favorite, that look of anger as she berated my brother. It made me angry how Sasuke was able to be with her. No one expected anything from Sasuke anymore; he could be with her if he wanted. Was that what I wanted? To be with her? I didn't know. I didn't know anything anymore. I sighed exasperatedly, flopped down on my bed and closed my eyes.

* * *

"Sakura," I began nervously, glancing over to the pink haired girl in the passenger side of my car. She was sitting quietly, staring out of the window. She had a white bandage on her cheek and although I couldn't see them, I knew there were more under her shirt, around her ribcage.

"What is it, Sasuke?" she whispered and I glanced at her listless hands lying in her lap. My hands gripped the steering wheel harder. That damn Hyuuga bastard. How dare he beat her like this? She was a girl, a defenseless woman who didn't deserve to be harmed. Next time I see that asshole I am going to kick his ass. After being beaten like that, I could understand her stoic disposition but did she have to sound so damned depressed and…pitifully alone? Maybe if a provoked her…

"You know, it's your own fault this happened. I knew that Gary kid was trouble. I can't believe you didn't tell me, either!" I looked over at her, expecting her to clench her fists and grit her teeth and yell at me like she always did. I loved when she got angry like that, when her eyes flashed and her cheeks would flush with frustration. To see her sitting there like she was now pissed me off, especially when it really was partly my fault.

"You're right, Sasuke. I'm sorry. It'll never happen again, I promise." Sakura said in a low voice, still staring out that stupid window. I narrowed my eyes, feeling like crossing my arms but I was still driving. We pulled up to her door and she opened the car door. I heard a soft thanks escape her lips as she shut the door. That's it. I practically ripped the emergency brake up, turned off the car and got out, slamming the door as forcefully as possible.

"Sakura!" I called and she turned around. I walked up to her, stuffing my hands in my pockets. "Listen, I'm…" I avoided looking into her eyes. "…sorry I wasn't there for you today. E-even though it was your fault. But…" I stared at the gravel of the driveway like it was the most fascinating thing I've ever seen. I hated this mushy gushy stuff. "Please don't be depressed. I won't let it happen again." Sakura kept staring at me for a while before she nodded and started heading towards her door again. She was just going to nod? My face crumpled and I bared my teeth. I followed her and grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around. She winced as her arms bumped her sides and guilt turned my stomach. I wrapped my arms around her so I could talk to her without looking into her eyes. There was something about looking into her eyes that made it difficult to speak. She was going to listen to me, damn it.

"Listen to me," I began, trying to convey to her what I felt. "I know I haven't been the best bodyguard and the best…ally." I was going to say friend, but for some reason I felt that Sakura would have scoffed at me. "I want that to change. I know I like to provoke you but I want to be someone you can trust and that you don't…mind…having to spend so much time with." My voice faltered as my courage fizzled out. I pulled away and Sakura just looked at me, her face rather bewildered. I dropped my hands and crossed my arms, scowling. "Because after the stunt you pulled tonight, I'm going to make extra sure we're together all the time now." Sakura's face crunched up into a look of unpleasantness. Well, that was an improvement.

"Fine, Sasuke. But on one condition," she finally said, her voice sounding a little less miserable. I just looked at her, waiting for her silly condition. "Lose the attitude. Please? I feel like you don't want to 'spend so much time' with me, that's why I'm reluctant. Okay?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Fine. You have to stop being so damn stubborn and difficult then." Sakura's mouth pursed.

"Then you have to stop acting like an emo brat!" I felt like grabbing her head and digging my knuckles into her skull.

"Well then lose the stupid pink hair, it's ridiculous." I regretted saying that insult. Her hair was one of my favorite things about her.

"I was born this way! Stupid cockatoo!" The hell! I opened my mouth to retort but Sakura started laughing as she ran to her door. She stopped with her hand on the handle and turned around, a soft smile playing across her lips.

"Thanks, Sasuke." She said before she opened the door and went inside. My cheeks felt hot as I sputtered out, "Thanks for what, stupid girl."

But I couldn't stop smirking on the way to my car.

* * *

"Well, someone looks happy for a person who got the shit kicked out of them." I jumped as Madara appeared from behind my door after I shut it. I backed away from him, narrowing my eyes. "Does mommy know about your little adventure? I'm sure she won't be happy with those bad Uchiha boys for letting you get into a scrape like that." I turned around, ignoring him. _Wait…what about…_

"What'd you do to Temari?" I asked, spinning around to get a straight answer out of Madara but he wasn't there. His voice reappeared next to my ear.

"Don't worry, I made sure she got home safe and sound." He was acting strange. He kept getting too close to me and when I'd move to get away he leaned into it. I looked into his eyes; they were red and blank and mad. His smile was looser and not as controlled as most times I've seen him. My spine tingled—why was he behaving like this?

"Really?" I asked, backing up. Madara nodded without saying anything more, every step backwards he made one forward. "You didn't do anything to her at all?"

"Nope, but that girl sure did put up a fight. It took so long to get her home I didn't get to eat before I came." I looked down as I noticed Madara's hands were shaking. He was scaring me…his behavior was erratic and jumpy, so unlike the usually poised, graceful Madara I was used to. So this was a hungry vampire. I felt blood dripping down my face and clutched my cheek. Madara had the bandage from my face between his fingers, grinning. My fingers jumped to feel the place where it had been seconds before and I pulled my fingers away to find blood tinting my fingertips red. Shit, I was covered in blood from that damn Hyuuga and now I had Madara staring at me like I was a plateful of takoyaki.

My eyes glanced towards the door and I moved to run towards it but Madara anticipated my move and grabbed my waist with both of his hands, pushing me onto the bed. I screamed but I was quickly shushed with Madara's hand. Madara grinned and his tongue slithered out and he licked the blood from my face. I whimpered and punched at his face and chest but it was useless; I was punching a brick wall. He clucked his tongue and grabbed my hands, pinning them next to my head. "Come on, Sakura, be a good girl."

"Madara…what about not wanting the commitment?" I managed to squeak out. He shook his head, eyes never leaving my neck. So this is what he meant about the strength of hunger for blood. He was no longer sane enough to talk. My only chance was to fight him off. Even the thought sounded ridiculous in my head. I struggled pointlessly as his head lowered towards my neck.

"Yo, playboy. Come get your meal." A voice came from my window and Madara growled as he looked up. He released me and stumbled over to my window. I flipped over, scrambling to get as far away from Madara as possible and saw a big brawny guy with pale skin and dark, spiky black hair. His eyes were dark and calculating like a shark. He didn't look very Asian…maybe he was mixed. "Itachi isn't going to be very happy when he finds out you tried to eat our client." The man said as he glanced at me. "Woah!" He made his way around Madara who was ravaging a scarlet, plastic blood bag.

"Hey, little lady," the man grinned as he looked at me. He turned back around to Madara. "I didn't know she was such a looker." Madara, who had finished the bag and was currently licking his lips looked at the tall man with a look of disgust.

"Kisame," Madara muttered, stuffing the bag into his back pocket. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, princess forgot his dinner and out of the goodness of my heart I figured I should get it to you so Fugaku-sama doesn't punish you for doing anything rash to cute Sakura-chan," Kisame explained, winking in my direction. The way Kisame said "punish" made me curious, especially with the look Madara got in his eyes after it was said. He narrowed his eyes at Kisame. Kisame didn't seem to like Madara, either though.

"I don't know how Sasuke and Itachi have resisted with such a kawaii girl…" Kisame smiled, looking back at me. I didn't like his smile, he said "kawaii" like someone would say "delicious." I could tell Kisame was dangerous.

"I don't get what's so great about her," Madara said, leaning against the windowsill.

"Well, we all know you're waiting for your precious Itachi to become a faggot like you," Kisame grinned but he looked sickened. I looked at Madara who threw a treacherous glare in Kisame's direction. "Too bad it looks like Sakura is keeping him firmly on our team."

"I think it's best that you leave now, Kisame. You're forgetting your place. Need I remind you that you're very disposable to the Uchiha clan…which includes me, a _legitimate_ member." Madara threatened and Kisame made to attack Madara but he shrugged his shoulders and turned towards me.

"It was nice to meet you, cute Sakura-chan," Kisame grinned and jumped out the window. Their conversation kept running through my head. What did Kisame mean about Madara's 'precious Itachi?' Faggot? Was Madara…?

"Poor little Sakura," Madara whispered darkly from the window. "No matter what you do, Itachi has no feelings for you." He walked over to me, menacingly yet graceful like a cat stalking its prey. "She's tried so hard, kissing him and throwing herself on him and to no avail." My eyes widened. How did he know about that? Madara leaned even closer to me and put his lips up to my ear.

"Give up, Sakura. He'll never love a dependent little _child_ like you. I've known him his whole life. He's the heir to the biggest corporation in Japan. He's going to marry a wealthy vampire heir and you're going to be all alone. Just let it go while you still can, before you get hurt." His hands stroked down my face before a blur flew through my window and he was gone.

I hugged my arms around my body and tried to keep my sobs as quiet as possible.

* * *

"Hyuuga? Hyuuga's not here either?" Iruka-sensei looked around the room. "Hmm, Temari and Gaara and Neji-kun, absent then." I looked to the empty desk next to me, relieved that he wasn't here but I was worried about Temari. Why wasn't she here today? Did Madara really do something to her?

"Apparently Gaara went missing last Friday," Kiba said to Naruto who looked at me. I looked down at my desk. "I talked to Shikamaru and Temari decided to stay home with her family. She's really worried about him."

A nervous and guilty wave coursed through my body. So that explained Temari, but not Gaara. Had Hyuuga done something to him? My world was slowly falling apart, it seemed like. My best friend was suffering because of me. Gaara was MIA and Itachi refused to talk to me. The thought of Itachi made me sick; all I could think about was my surprise kiss and how stupid that was. I made myself look like an idiot to Itachi who probably didn't even feel the same towards me.

Maybe I should just give up on Itachi, like Madara said to. The thought brought tears to my eyes, but I knew there was not much I could do about it. Itachi was the heir of Uchiha but he was ultimately a vampire and I could tell by Madara's reaction to the mixed blood of Itachi and Sasuke that if Itachi and I ever ended up together, it would not be accepted by the vampire community.

"Sakura-chan? Are you okay?" Naruto whispered towards me and Kiba looked back. I looked up at him and more tears ran down my face. I hadn't realized I was crying. A warm hand grabbed mine and pulled me up out of my seat. Sasuke grabbed my school bag and began walking out of the classroom.

"Uchiha-san, where are you taking Haruno?" Iruka-sensei yelled after us but Sasuke didn't answer and slammed the door after him. Sasuke dragged me down the hallway. He grabbed my shoes from my locker and handed them towards me. I changed my shoes, sniffling my way through the buckles and clutched my book bag to my chest as I followed Sasuke outside. We passed Karin and a group of other girls smoking. Karin looked surprised.

"Sasuke! What are you doing? Why is _she _with you? Sasuke!" Karin called after us. Sasuke ignored her. I silently got in the car and didn't say anything the whole time Sasuke skidded out of the parking spot and sped out of the parking lot. People were gathered at windows and pointing and I knew there'd be a few rumors shooting around school but I couldn't find myself caring.

I recognized the way we were going from the first time and so I wasn't surprised when Sasuke pulled up to the ice cream parlor. I unbuckled my seat belt and got out of the car but Sasuke told me to wait outside. He came out holding two cones and handed one to me. I followed him down the vine-lined path and across the bridge sitting on the bench in the gazebo. Why was Sasuke being so sweet to me?

"You can cry, Sakura. I won't judge you." Sasuke said and I blushed as more tears came pouring out on their own. The last person I wanted to cry in front of was Sasuke but for some reason they just kept coming and coming. He took my cone out of my hand and sat next to me, hesitating before taking my shoulder and drawing my head to his chest. For some reason, Sasuke acting so sweet made me want to cry even more. The tears eventually stopped and I hiccupped a couple times. I lifted my head and got up, thinking maybe that'd help slow my breath.

"Sorry, I look like an idiot," I laughed and wiped away my tears. I looked at Sasuke who looked perplexed as he stared at me. "What is it?" I asked him and he looked down to my ice cream cone, which was melting and dripping onto the worn white wood.

"Sakura…do you…like my brother?" A blush crept all the way down to my toes. What was he asking? My mind went blank and I didn't know what to say. Why would he ask me something like that? My hands clutched at my skirt and I looked down at my feet. What was I supposed to say to that? My defense mechanism switched on; I started laughing, almost hysterically.

"What? Why would you ask something like _that_?" I laughed obnoxiously again. He didn't look pleased.

"Madara mentioned something last night about how Itachi was making a poor little girl cry in Haruno mansion and how Itachi would never love someone like her and just…things of that nature. Madara likes to provoke people though, so I wasn't sure." Sasuke said, licking up some of the ice cream drips from my cone.

"Sasuke, tell me about Madara," I said, sitting next to him.

"Why do you want to know about that creep?" Sasuke asked, leaning against the bench, his elbows resting on the rim. "He's nothing but trouble. He causes difficulties within the clan all the time."

"I don't know. Madara just really doesn't seem to like me. He's made that clear…" I said, pursing my lips at the thought of all the words he told me. "Plus, he's the one that helped me accept what the Uchiha clan is…you know…" I trailed off. Sasuke looked at me a long time before sighing.

"I don't know what he's told you but Madara likes to mess with people's minds. Although, Madara hasn't always had it easy." Sasuke glanced up at the ceiling with a pensive expression.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked. I wished I could tell him about all the times Madara had attacked me but something told me it'd be better to keep my mouth shut.

"Madara's father was the rightful heir to the Uchiha will but when he died it fell to my father. All the power of the Uchiha corporation would have fallen to Madara but it was stripped from him. You'd think that'd make him hate Itachi but for some reason…he doesn't. In fact, he has this…disgusting obsession with Itachi." Sasuke said, scowling. "He doesn't keep it a secret, either. Because of this he's gotten a lot of shit from other members of the A—uh, the family." Sasuke corrected himself quickly.

"I know about Akatsuki, it's okay," I said and he looked taken aback.

"What all has Madara told you?" Sasuke said, shaking his head. "Damn bastard."

"A lot…" I blushed, looking at Sasuke's canines and imagining the throws of ecstasy Madara was talking about people experienced when they were bit. "Just the Akatsuki and what the Akatsuki does and that people can't become vampires if bitten and just the logistics of…the Uchiha clan, I guess." I looked at Sasuke and realized he was…smiling at me. I looked at him suspiciously.

"What are you all smiley about?" I asked; he looked weird with a smile.

"It's just…" Sasuke looked down at his hands. "I've never had anyone else outside Uchiha International that knows our secret and I don't know…it's…nice." Was he blushing? I laughed and smacked his shoulder. He scowled at me.

"Sasuke-kun blushing is just so adorable." I teased him. He crossed his arms and turned his head to avoid looking at me. I grinned and looked around for my ice cream cone. "Sasuke! Did you eat my ice cream?"

"Yeah you were too busy weeping." Sasuke said, a mocking grin gracing his features. Somehow, Sasuke didn't seem as high and mighty as he had before. I liked it.

* * *

It'd been a week since I last saw Madara and I was thankful for it. I also hadn't seen Itachi in as long either, but Sasuke made sure to keep my mind off of it. We'd been spending a lot of time together recently and surprisingly, alone, without the other members of his gang. We hadn't done anything big, we just studied together in my room and we'd watched a movie last night with Naruto. Naruto and Sasuke didn't talk to each other but they didn't fight, either, so I considered this a good sign.

Sasuke was also getting closer to me, it seemed. Of course, emotionally we were but physically, too and in all honesty it was beginning to make me uncomfortable. We often walked shoulder to shoulder and he'd try to grab my hand one day afterschool when we were walking to his car. I pretended to see Naruto so I skipped off, waving at a blonde haired freshman who seemed frightened that an upperclassmen pinkette was skipping towards him, waving like a madwoman. The poor kid started running and tripped over himself multiple times in an attempt to escape. I laughed and brushed it off as a mistake, but Sasuke didn't look so convinced. I didn't know if I could pull the same trick twice.

The second time Sasuke got too close, I was telling him goodbye after the movie on Friday. We were on the porch making sure Naruto got down my driveway alright. Naruto rounded the corner and I looked up to say goodbye to Sasuke, but his face was inches away from mine. He leaned in closer, a serious expression on his face. He kept looking at my lips, which I bit trying to think of something to do to avoid this awkward situation…what was he doing? His eyes widened as he suddenly leaned over sharply, pulling his sweatshirt way low over the top of his pants. I looked at him quizzically.

"What are you doing?" I asked him and he groaned a goodbye and started walking at an odd gait to his car. I could have sworn I'd seen his fangs flash out for a second, but he drove so fast out of the driveway I just brushed it off, as he was hungry or something and sparing me a fate of being tied to him for all eternity.

* * *

This damn girl was driving me crazy. Just imagining her sent me over the edge. I saw sparks, my whole body shuddering and then I fell forward, panting as my forehead rested on the steering wheel of my car. I leaned my head back against my seat and let me catch my breath. I finally got out of the car and locked it, hanging the key on the rack of keys we had for all our cars. That damn girl was doing it on purpose. I was going to Faze her into kissing me but it was as if she blocked it and ended up…affecting me. Biting that damn pink lip and looking up at me with those eyes. I couldn't wait anymore.

I walked down one of the corridors to my room and glanced up to be face to face with one of the last persons I felt like looking at. Well, might as well make this fun while he was here.

"Hey, dumbass," I grinned as the blonde clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"Shut up, bastard! I'm going to kick your ass if you don't shut it!" Naruto growled, pushing past me. "I'm going back home."

"What did my dad want to talk to you about?" I asked, my voice dropping to a serious whisper. Naruto looked behind at me and scoffed, a sneer on his face.

"Like I'd tell you. He just sent a message to the Perv Master. Nothing big." Naruto shrugged his hands into his jacket pockets and nodded. "Bye."

"It's a full moon tomorrow." I said in parting and Naruto stopped. "Just a friendly reminder." I kept walking to my room and Naruto continued walking to the exit. I opened my room and stopped in the doorway.

"What are _you_ doing in my room?" I asked, walking in and staring at another person I didn't have a particular care to talk to. Itachi continued staring at me from my bed. He looked like he wanted to ask me something but he kept quiet. "So? If you're not going to say anything, get the hell out of my room."

"Where were you just now?" Itachi asked and I narrowed my eyes. Why did this bastard want to know? I grinned and walked over to my laptop.

"You can see yourself out," I opened my Mac and avoided turning around. Itachi showed up at my side. Why was he so persistent? I scoffed. "I was at Sakura's." I said and Itachi tensed up. "What are you all testy for?" I asked and logged onto a porn site, thinking that would make him leave. He closed the laptop, leaning over and sniffing at me.

"Why do you smell like…that?" Itachi asked and my hands clenched. Shit, I'd forgotten to clean up. I didn't look at him but then an idea to hurt this bastard popped into my head and I couldn't let such an idea go to waste. I looked up at him and grinned.

"What do you think happened?" I gave him a challenging glare, which I kept plastered to my face even as his canines elongated and his eyes flashed crimson. I was happy I'd pissed him off, but if he was getting pissed off, did that mean he really did care for her?

"Did you do something with that girl?" He asked, maintaining a perfect poker face and calm aura, but his fighting instinct reaction gave him away. My canines grew in challenge and I stood up.

"What if I did? How does it concern you?" I asked, gripping the top of my desk chair so hard it splintered. He remained apathetic to my anger, instead challenging my bluff with his glare. The irises in his eyes began to turn and I realized too late my mistake. I cried out in agony as his Faze tore into me, ripping through my memories of Sakura. Sakura appeared in my mind again, licking her ice cream and crying on my shoulder, her expressions during the memory then at the door way, her lips and low cut shirt and innocent look with her big green eyes and then to my actions in the Corvette and my encounter with Naruto and then I was on the floor, panting as the pain subsided and Itachi walked past me out the door.

"Fuck you!" I called after him, my body still fidgeting with pain. I shakily sat up, my cheeks hot. I'd wanted that memory of Sakura all to myself and that bastard stole it…and what I'd done in the car. I'd make him pay somehow. Then I realized it; I knew what I had to do that would piss off Itachi and give me what I wanted simultaneously. She'd be all mine. I was going to Mark Sakura.

* * *

That irritating nuisance. How could he have those thoughts about Sakura like that, how could he do something like that while thinking about her. It made me shake with anger. So that's what Sasuke had in mind all week. He was in love with her. Another flash of spite radiated from my stomach. I'd never felt like this about something before. I felt angry at Sasuke and something I hadn't felt since Mother died. Sadness? Or something of the like…I felt like I was losing something. I didn't want Sakura to be with Sasuke. I had no claim to her, so it was completely irrational that I should be feeling like this.

I realized I'd read the same line in my book for the fifth time. I sighed and set it down, taking off my glasses and pinching the bridge of my nose. I closed my eyes and Sakura's form appeared in front of me again. She looked up at me and with a tear streaked face inched towards my face, her lips grazing mine and then fully enveloping them. I knew that at the time I wanted nothing more than to keep kissing her, even after I pulled away.

Stop. I was having the same thoughts as Sasuke, this was completely unacceptable, especially after her, a human and client and…competitor to Uchiha International. She was a threat. But I couldn't help thinking that this girl who is such a contradictive enigma as herself as a threat. She was strong when she needed to be but so defenseless and rather ditzy. I felt amused at the thought of how stupid she must be to get in the wrong damn car. She was funny but got such a serious and inquisitive expression in her eyes when she asked me questions. No one wanted to know about me so much before like she had; no one cared.

Something snapped in me and for the first time, perhaps ever, I knew what I wanted to do for _me_. I didn't know why I had this strange, inexplicable attraction to her, I didn't know why my body seemed to react to her like I was a nervous child on the first day of school, I didn't know why I got angry at the thought of anyone getting closer to her than I was but I did know three things. One, I was an idiot bastard for ignoring her and leaving her to Madara of all people; two, I was attracted to her in a way I've never felt for anyone before. And lastly, after I put myself back on night duty like she had asked, I was going to Mark Haruno, Sakura.

**So I just realized I didn't leave any author's comments. So, first and foremost sorry about any POV confusion (and thanks to "asdf" for pointing it out). I put line breaks where I could. I had separators on my copy in Word on my laptop but I guess those didn't transition over into DocX. Secondly, you all knew it was coming, but I apologize profusely for the lateness of this chapter. I actually had it written in February but things happen. As a gift, I'm writing/almost finished with Chapter Eleven so if you're interested keep an eye out for that. I'm going to try to keep writing when I have time but I just started school again and this semester is not going easy on me! Thank you for your loyalty to this story even though its author is horrible at updating. Just FYI, since I actually know where this story is going it's going to get updated more frequently and it's actually nearing a close. Well, that's a little dramatic I'm going to say it has at least five or six more good length chapters. Damaged is giving me a headache right now. I know where I want to take it but attempting to write it has been hell. If you think about it, I started it four years ago when I was young, immature and...well...inexperienced so I feel like I've grown...out of some of the topics that, to be honest, gave it a fan base. Anyway, enough chatter, I'll get back to Chapter Eleven! **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"Sakura." I looked to my left and jumped at the sight of Sasuke. I hadn't even heard him walk up to me after I'd exited the girls' changing room. It must be another one of his abilities that came with his whole alternate lifestyle.

"You scared me, Sasuke!" I whined and began walking towards the gym. "Monday is track, right?" I didn't hear his answer. There was a group of people swarmed together when we entered, talking and excited. I stood on my tiptoes, trying to see what was in the middle of the crowd but I was still too short. I looked to Sasuke, who had a grim look on his face. "What? What is it?" I asked but Sasuke nodded forward. The crowd had parted as two figures stepped through. Temari stepped through first, a broad smile on her face and then behind her…

"Gaara." I whispered. Kiba was talking to him but Gaara was looking at me. Sasuke stepped in front of me when Gaara began to walk over in our direction. Sasuke's eyes were sharp, his forehead creased. Gaara stopped walking towards me after taking a glance at Sasuke. His tired, grey-rimmed and hallow eyes found their way back to mine but I avoided them, choosing to look at Sasuke's sleeve.

"I understand." Gaara finally said, monotone as always.

"Huh? Understand what?" Temari asked, looking between me and her brother. She put her hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it off and walked calmly away. Temari looked back at me, confusion mixed with irritation. She was overprotective of her brother and I had publicly snubbed him.

"Temari…" I started but she stalked off after her brother. Kiba stood there, staring between me and the pair of siblings' backs.

"I am so confused," he finally admitted and Shikamaru rolled his eyes, muttering something about the whole thing being "bothersome."

"If she only knew…I mean, what gives her the right to run off like that. If she knew what Gaara did…well, maybe not even then. She has such a brother complex, it's ridiculous," Sakura ranted. I wasn't really listening, focusing more on driving and my own thoughts than her complaining. I had to figure out a way to get her alone. Even thinking about it sent my stomach reeling with anticipation and my fangs to ache painfully in my gums. They wanted to taste her flesh as badly as I did, to puncture that milky white skin and savor the taste of her rich, warm blood. The thing I wanted most was to watch her face. I'd seen a Marking done before, the human shrieking in ecstasy, gasping and writhing in her throes of pleasure. I was young at the time and had found it disturbing but the thought of her writhing underneath me…

* * *

"Sasuke?" she asked, her face puckered with irritation that I wasn't listening to her mindless banter. I settled with my classic "hn," and she seemed satisfied enough to sink back into her seat without questioning my silence.

"Sakura, I was thinking," I began. I needed to get her alone as soon as possible to Mark her. "We should hang out at your house again, we haven't hung out in a while." She nodded.

"Okay, sure. I just received Insidious from Livedoor Posren and I don't want to watch it alone, it's supposed to be really scary." It wasn't ideal, especially if Tsunade happened to be home but I was becoming desperate.

"Alright, is tonight okay?" She looked at my suspiciously.

"What about tomorrow? I have a test tomorrow…actually _we_ have a test tomorrow and I still haven't studied for it."

"We could study together, then. At my house." I redirected. It'd be much better at my house. With luck, Itachi would stumble in and I'd get to see his reaction, too. That bastard wouldn't know what was coming.

"Well…I guess, but I'd like to get stuff from my house first and tell Tsunade where I'm going," she agreed and I was surprised. I half expected her not to accept. I smiled to myself. Tonight, Sakura would be mine.

I wasn't sure what Sasuke was up to and to be honest it worried me a little bit. He seemed really desperate to hang out. After the other night on the porch, I didn't really want to be alone with him. I'd said yes to studying because I was so surprised but the more I thought about it the less I was excited for it. Number one, I'd be alone with him and number two I was going to the Uchiha household. Where Sasuke lived. And Itachi.

Maybe I'd catch a lucky break, studying with Sasuke. Besides, he was one of the brightest in our class. Who was I kidding, he _was_ the brightest in our class…so far he ranked number one while I continuously got number three, right behind Shikamaru at number two. Sasuke pulled up to a wrought iron gate, vines weaving in and out of the bars. "Uchiha" was carved down the side of one of the gray stone columns in beautiful, perfect kanji. The gate opened and Sasuke pulled through right as the gate was open enough to let the Corvette in. We drove for what felt like forever down a dirt and gravel road lined with willow and oak trees. We finally broke through a line of trees and my jaw dropped as I saw his mansion. I'd seen nice homes before, I lived in one, but this house…

We pulled around a huge fountain constructed of dark stone that matched the columns at the gate, and ended in front of a huge set of stairs, leading up to a columned entryway. Just outside I could count eight serving staff members. The door was opened for me and a hand presented itself to me.

"Miss Haruno," a footman said, taking my hand and helping me out of the car. I smiled and nodded towards him but he didn't smile back. In fact, he didn't look at me at all rather stared straight through me. He turned to walk to the passenger side and pull the car around and I saw a bright pink and purple bruise on his neck that looked fresh. A chill went down my spine and my hand flew involuntarily to my own neck. I had forgotten about another reason I should probably not be in this home.

* * *

"And this is my room," Sasuke pushed me into a surprisingly small, bare-walled room with the exception of a flag with the Uchiha fan hanging above his twin-sized and currently unmade bed. Upon further inspection I realized the rest of his room was impeccably clean and tidy. The only other boys' room I'd been in was Naruto's and his was just nasty. I refused to go into his room after I slipped on a ramen bowl, crashing to the floor and opening my eyes to find a pair of boxers on my head. Naruto said they were clean, but I found his claims questionable.

"It's so…clean." I finally said. "Probably even cleaner than my room…" I admitted.

"Here, you can sit on my bed," Sasuke offered, pointing to his half-lofted twin. I shook my head.

"It's okay, I have a skirt on so I probably couldn't hop up there," I laughed and sat down at his desk. He leaned against his desk and turned his steely eyes towards me. I felt a blush creep up on my cheeks and a sweat start to build on the nape of my neck. "So, history…" I opened up my backpack and started getting out my textbook and notebook. Sasuke still sat there, not moving. "Aren't you going to get any material out?"

"I don't need it, I remember everything," Sasuke said, watching me open my notes up.

"Then why'd you want to study together? You obviously didn't need to…" I said crossly. I could have studied alone at home without Sasuke staring at me the whole time. "Why'd you have me over in the first place?" My voice cracked and I swallowed hard. My palms were beginning to sweat too. Was it getting hotter or was my fear that Madara was going to show up out of nowhere and bite me getting out of hand?

"You nervous, Sakura?" Sasuke smirked. "Never been with a boy in his room alone?" He asked, leaning down to get close to my face. His breath tickled my face. If he was trying to get me flustered…it was working.

"N-no…" I stammered. I looked into his eyes, challenging him. "I trust you." Sasuke's face went slack, his eyes widening a little. Then he pushed off from the desk.

"Kami dammit…" He muttered and made his way to the door. "I'll be back," he said and rounded the corner. What just happened? When I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore I realized how quiet it was. I crossed my arms, suddenly cold. I felt a chill run up my spine then back down. My arm hairs stuck up, surrounded by gooseflesh.

"Well, look at what the cat dragged in." A voice sneered. I dreaded every moment my head took to turn and I saw him, standing there in the doorway. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against the doorframe. "What a surprise to see you here. I smelled you the minute your huge forehead crossed the threshold of the Uchiha mansion." My eyebrows knitted together as I frowned at him.

"I'm studying for a test with Sasuke-kun," I explained matter-of-factly, uncrossing my arms and playing with a pleat on my skirt.

"So that's what kids are calling it nowadays," he said, entering the room and shutting the door. My stomach tightened as he walked slowly towards me, running a finger along Sasuke's dresser. "How'd you do it, by the way?"

"Do what?" I asked angrily.

"Don't play dumb, Sakura-chan," Madara practically sung. "We both know you're smarter than that." My frown deepened.

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about, Madara, if you could leave now, I have studying—" I barely had the words out of my mouth when Madara was suddenly in my face, grabbing my chin roughly in his hand.

"I don't know how you did it, you calculating bitch, but Itachi requested to be your night guard again," he snarled, his voice crawling with malice. Even through my fear of Madara, my stomach jumped with excitement. Itachi had requested to be put back on night watch? I was going to get to see him again? Did this mean he wasn't angry about the kiss? Maybe he wasn't mad at me. If he requested it, that meant his father wasn't forcing him to do it, right?

"Stop smiling!" Madara growled, shaking my head roughly in his fingertips. My eyes made contact with his—his irises were bright scarlet and his pupils were moving, alive. All of a sudden a sharp pain flared in my stomach. I groaned and it started growing, ripping me from the inside. I somehow knew it was his eyes and tried to look away but it was as if his pupils were magnetically attracting my own, drawing them in. I felt like we were falling, my stomach in my throat. I tried to scream but I couldn't even open my mouth with his hand holding my face in his death grip. Tears started falling down my cheeks as my lungs struggled to bring air into them but to no avail.

Suddenly Madara was ripped away from me, his nails scraping the sides of my face. He was roughly thrown against the corner of Sasuke's bed. A tall figure stood in front of me, crouched in a defensive stance. The figure stood fully erect when Madara stood. "That's enough, Madara. I don't know what Sakura has done to cause this behavior from you but you can be sure father will be hearing about this. I don't plan on being lenient with your punishment for this, either," Madara approached Itachi.

"I'm sorry, Itachi-sama, please forget this happened," Madara begged, grabbing for Itachi's hands. Itachi grabbed his hand and pulled him so his face was inches before his own.

"Get out of this room, Madara," Itachi scowled, pushing him away forcefully. Madara nodded and gave one last unreadable look at me before exiting the room. Itachi turned around and crouched down to my level. I was shaking but I vigorously began wiping away my tears. I didn't want him to see me like this, weak like always and needing him to come in and save me. Itachi reached out to touch my hand but Sasuke walked in and Itachi stopped, standing up and turning to face him.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" His eyes found mine and he tensed up. "What did you do to Sakura, why is she crying?"

"You cease to amaze with your idiotic choices, Sasuke," Itachi said, his voice still as dark and intense as when he was speaking with Madara. "Uchiha mansion is no place for her. You should know this by now. Whatever compelled you to bring her here?"

"We were studying." I interjected, standing up and clenching my hands together.

"It doesn't matter, Sakura, he shouldn't have left you alone here. Uchiha mansion isn't the safest place for you, Sakura, I'm sure you're aware of the Uchiha family's condition, correct?" Itachi was speaking to me, but his eyes refused to look away from Sasuke's. Sasuke glared back at Itachi, breathing heavy with anger.

"I didn't know you cared so much, Itachi, considering you don't even technically work for her anymore. I thought she fired you, isn't that right?" Sasuke said, smirking. Itachi's face remained indifferent, a solid poker face. I had to stop this before it got out of hand. I knew that even though Itachi didn't show his emotions, that he was probably preparing himself to kill his brother.

"We can study at my house, Sasuke," I said, attempting a cheerful, at the very least upbeat attitude.

"Fine," Sasuke said, leering at Itachi as he passed. He grabbed my bag and my hand and pulled me out the door. I craned my neck to take one last look at Itachi but regretted it. He didn't look angry or upset or even happy like I'd hoped. The image of his steely, impenetrable gaze watching me leave with Sasuke burned into my mind the whole car ride home.

* * *

"Oh my god, why is it all dark? He can't find his son if it's all dark! Sasuke, why is it dark?" I squealed, my head squished between Sasuke's arm and the back of the sofa as much as possible.

"I don't know, Sakura, can you just watch the movie?" Sasuke yelled. He sounded angry but the way he was tensed up I could tell it was all an act. So the fearless Sasuke _did_ have a weakness: Darth Maul-like figures invading people's dreams.

We had tried to study the minute we'd gotten home but Sasuke began to irritate me with his incessant mumbling about Itachi, so I suggested giving up all together and watching Insidious. I'd just have to look over history notes later…

"Hey, kids, do you need anything?" A voice came from my doorway. I screamed and covered my eyes; Sasuke jumped up out of the couch and stood in a defensive pose. "Well, Sasuke, I appreciate your dedication to protect Sakura but it's just me," Tsunade said while Sasuke sat back down on the couch with a scowl on his face, muttering something about an "old hag."

"No, we're fine, thanks!" I replied. Tsunade rolled her eyes and left. The second she was gone I burst out laughing. "Oh my god your reaction was hilarious!" I said between giggles, holding my stomach. Sasuke did not look pleased.

"Whatever, at least I did something. You just covered your eyes and practically buried yourself in the damn couch!" Sasuke retorted, crossing his arms. I just kept laughing; my body getting weak, I ended up leaning on Sasuke, shaking with silent amusement. Finally, Sasuke chuckled with me and soon we were both sprawled on my couch, me leaning on his shoulder and gasping for breath. The movie was still playing but neither of us knew what was going on anymore.

I could feel a warm breeze on my shoulder and I turned my head to see Sasuke's lips dangerously close to my clavicle. I started and quickly stood up. He looked up at me and I blushed. "You know, on second thought, I'm going to go get a drink. Do you want something?" I asked, nervously moving a piece of hair out my face from rolling around on the couch.

"No," he said simply but I could detect an air of irritation around him. I quickly left the room and made my way down to the kitchen. Tsunade was sitting at the table looking over a foreboding stack of papers, her glasses perched on the end of her nose and her hair in a ponytail on the top of her head. I headed over to the fridge.

"Is everything going okay up there? You know I don't usually let boys up there…alone with you." Tsunade said, not looking up from her paperwork.

"Shishou! It's Sasuke-kun," I reprimanded her; if she only knew how many boys and _men_ had been going through my room lately… "How's the company doing?" I asked absentmindedly, trying to divert the conversation topic elsewhere.

"Why do you ask? What have you heard?" Tsunade asked too quickly. I looked up from pouring my milk tea. She had taken off her glasses and was squeezing the bridge of her nose.

"No particular reason, I just saw you working on some paperwork and thought I'd ask," I said defensively.

"Sorry," Tsunade sighed. "It's actually not doing too well. We haven't had a lot of investment lately. Many businesses refuse to do business with us and there's been a lot of repair work being done; many of our buildings have been vandalized and there was even a case of arson in our Hong Kong campus. I'll give you one guess who's behind it all."

"The Hyuugas?" I didn't skip a beat in answering. Tsunade nodded and sighed. I went up behind her and hugged her around the neck. "Thanks for everything," I whispered. She squeezed my arm and I left before I teared up.

Sakura entered the room again, two cups in hand. "I told you, you didn't have to get me anything." I said, uncrossing my arms to grab one. Especially since it was just her way to avoid me…I'd been so close that last time, too.

"Sorry," she said, walking to get the DVD from the player, the credits fading into a bright blue screen.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. When was there not something upsetting her? Sakura was too sensitive about things sometimes.

"No, its just…Tsunade is so worried about things lately. She's working so hard and all I'm worried about is…school." It sounded like she'd wanted to say something else but hadn't. "Sasuke, can we finish hanging out another time? I'm really tired from today."

Damn. I wanted to tell her 'no' but decided against it. I'd have plenty of time to Mark her, especially since Itachi never saw her.

"Alright," I finally replied. "I'll see you tomorrow, then, for school." She nodded and I headed for the door. I took one last look behind me to see her sit on her bed, grab her pillow and curl up. Whatever was worrying her could wait; if she wanted me gone so badly, I'd comply.

* * *

I was faintly aware that someone was rubbing my hair. I hadn't had someone rub my hair since my mother did when I was little. It had always made me feel so relaxed and safe. I suddenly opened my eyes wide and turned my head to see a figure leaning over me. My mouth gaped open to yell but a hand clamped over my lips.

"It's me," he said and I closed my lips, smiling. It was true, Itachi was back on night watch!

"Itachi…" I whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I know you removed me from your security, but I also know it was because of my behavior. I thought that if I…apologized, that maybe you'd reconsider," he said quietly and rather awkwardly.

"You don't have to apologize, Itachi-san, it should be me apologizing. What I said before was all in anger, I never wanted you to stop being my night watch, it's just I thought it'd be easier on you because it seemed you didn't want to talk to me and I thought maybe I was being annoying or I offended you by asking so many questions and then I thought that maybe the…er, kiss maybe made you angry and—" I could feel myself babbling it made it worse that it was too dark for me to see his face to judge his reactions.

"No, Sakura-san, that's not it," Itachi interrupted. "It was me. You did ask a lot of questions but what disturbed me was that I answered, not that you asked them. I don't usually feel comfortable with people as quickly, especially clients. The Uchiha clan is not well known for their strong emotional ties." he stopped when I sniffled. "Sakura-san?"

"I'm sorry it's just…it's just a relief that you're not angry with me." I finally choked out between sobs. Itachi put his hand on my head, stroking my hair and caressing a strand. "Wow, look at me," I laughed nervously. "I don't cry in front of anyone but you and Tsunade. It's embarrassing that you always catch me in moments like this." I blushed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. The moon brightened outside and I could better see Itachi's face. My heart raced as I found his eyes, black as pitch and staring right into my own. The soft white light pouring from the window made his skin glow a pallid, unearthly color. I felt like I was falling into his eyes, two black pools drawing me in and soon all I could think of was getting as close to him as possible…and then they were gone. I blinked and Itachi opened his eyes again.

"Sorry," I said, voice faltering. "What were we talking about?"

"Sasuke said you could resist Fazes. I apologize, I wanted to see for myself." My eyes widened.

"You were Fazing me?" Itachi nodded. "I have been before. I wonder while I can't resist yours. I almost fell for Madara's Faze once, but I hadn't even noticed Sasuke's—"

"When did Madara Faze you?" Itachi asked, suddenly serious. "He was never supposed to be near enough to Faze you. Are you talking about earlier today at my home?" I hesitated before answering him. I didn't like Madara, but I didn't want to get him in trouble, either. Punishment in the Uchiha household did not sound fun.

"I-it was a couple weeks ago. It was my fault, Madara actually saved me from drowning and so I took the opportunity to ask him about…about the Uchiha family and vampires." I explained, stumbling on my words as I rushed through them.

"Drowning? He put you in a position where you were drowning? How much did he tell you, exactly?" Itachi asked.

"No, I wasn't feeling well and I took an oxycodine before I took a bath. And Madara told me…enough," I admitted. "Just answered questions I had about vampirism. That's all."

"I'm sorry, it's just…I feel very overprotective of you sometimes. At first I blamed it on my pride I have in my job but…I'm not so sure. I haven't felt sure of anything lately." He avoided eye contact with me when he spoke.

"Itachi, can I ask you a question?" I asked. He didn't answer but he didn't say no, so I continued. "Why _did _you come back?" Itachi stood back a bit and then sat down on my bed next to me, looking at his hands. When I saw his back, I realized he had two katana criss-crossed on straps that fit his shoulders. He had many different pockets and unidentifiable objects hanging from the belt loops of his slacks. I never realized how equipped he came to the night watches.

"When you let me go, the fact that I couldn't watch you formally worried me. I constantly thought of your safety to the point I could not sleep. I would watch you sometimes, even following you and Sasuke. I'd never felt the need to protect someone as strongly before. I suppose it was our midnight talks, but I realized how similar to me you were and somewhere along the way, I started to care about you, Sakura-san." Itachi looked my way as he said this. "When I saw how comfortable Sasuke was with you, for the first time I truly became envious of my brother because of his relationship with you.

"When you kissed me the other night," he continued. _Oh god, he's talking about the kiss_…I thought, horrified. "I didn't mind it. I'd never been involved in a kiss where I wanted to reciprocate until I kissed you. What I'm saying, Sakura-san, is that I want to continue to protect you because you've become someone important to me. Someone I want to protect from danger, to keep away from my brother…to hold freely when I want. Is that acceptable? Rather, am I acceptable?" He asked, grabbing my hand. I didn't know what to say. This was the first time I'd been confessed to so seriously before. My face felt hot and was probably red, my hands were shaking and my heart was thumping so loudly I was positive he could hear it, too.

"I'm so glad you feel the same way, Itachi. I thought I was the only one who felt that way." I finally said, taking a hand and running it through my hair. "I missed you."

The edges of his mouth turned up, and he grabbed the strand of hair I had just pushed back and running his fingers through it. He cupped my face in his hand, stroking my cheek with his thumb. I put my hand on top of his, leaning my head into his touch and closed my eyes. His hands were callused but they were strong, reliable hands. He drew my face closer and then I felt his lips on mine. They felt the same as before, but they didn't shy away and they were strong and sure this time. He was very gentle, his hand running up my face and into my hair.

I leaned in closer, urging him on. It was sweet that he was being so careful with me but it wasn't enough; I felt like I had to be closer to him. His kisses became more frenzied and then his tongue ran the edge of my lips. I opened them and his tongue entered my mouth. He pushed me down lightly, one hand on my lower back and the other underneath my head. I lifted up one hand to his neck and the other went to the nape; I pulled out his hair tie so I could run my hand through it better. It flowed down, tickling my face and my arms.

As our kisses became more forceful, I began to gasp for breath. I felt heat spread from my core and out to all the corners of my body. I'd never felt like this before, never as close as this to someone yet still yearning to be a part of him. Itachi pulled away long enough to say my name.

"Sakura…I need your permission," Itachi said between kisses. I drew back.

"Permission?" I asked, confused. "Permission for what?"

"A promise. It'll protect you from others like me. A Mark." He said, pushing my hair back from my forehead. I remembered what Madara had said, that it felt like…sex. A nervous pang began brewing in my stomach but when I looked at his beautiful ivory skin and his face that was so earnestly concerned about my answer, it ebbed away.

"Okay," I whispered. "If it's you, Itachi." I closed my eyes and Itachi kissed my lips again, and I could feel the smile on his own. He kissed my jawline and then down my neck. My body shuddered and goosebumps freckled my skin. I grabbed his arms, bracing myself. I felt him breathing at the bottom of my neck, almost my shoulder. He really was going to Mark me.

Sasuke's face flashed in my mind before I felt two pinpricks, then it was all

Itachi. I gasped as my back arched into him. The feeling was indescribable. I felt myself, then I felt myself as Itachi biting my flesh, could taste it, then I was myself again, shuddering and writhing. I couldn't tell what was happening or how, all I could feel was a great build up and then release, over and over. And then it was finished. I finally became aware of myself, panting and weak on my bed, a sheen of sweat covering my forehead.

"Sakura?" I blinked again and Itachi's face swam into focus, face creased with worry. I smiled and tried to reach up to him but I couldn't; my hand made it into the air but fell down to my stomach. "I've never lost control like that before, I'm sorry. Do you feel okay? Can you sit up?" He pulled me up into a sitting position which I was able to maintain.

"I'm okay, I'm more than okay, actually that was…amazing," I said and flashed a huge smile at him. I couldn't help it; even though I was weak and quivering, I felt relaxed and at peace. "Can we do that again?"

Itachi grinned and then pulled me in to lean on his kiss; that was the first time I heard Itachi laugh.

**So this is raw as anything...in my rush to get it out because I wanted to make sure you guys got material I didn't go over it as much as I probably should have. Do you feel that the Marking was too rushed? I feel like it was, but necessary because of later events. Sometimes I wish you all were in my head and could tell me what to do! Constructive criticism is encouraged, I'll probably be editing it or getting some BetaReader help. So here's my present for coming out with Chapter Ten so late: a pre-edited view of Chapter Eleven!**


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